Cultural Center of the Philippines: Turning...Turning 40

Last February 8, 2009, the Cultural Center of the Philippines or CCP celebrates it's 40th anniversary with the presentation of "Turning...Turning 40" at the CCP Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo.

The show started with an introduction or background information about the Filipino Culture. Then it started with the Ethnic dance called "Pagkawan ng Yakan" or Sounds of the Tungtungan - Yakan Wedding Ritual. The dance was done well and I'm impressed with their performance.

The next performance was a Neo-Ethnic Dance called "Darangen ni Bantugan." They showed gracefulness in their performance that really struck the audience.

After the Ethnic and Neo-Ethnic Dance performed by the Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group and Phillipine Ballet Theater comes the Contemporary Dance called "The Hurt We Embrance." This contemporary dance is hard to interpret at first because the dance keeps on repeating again and again. But in the in the end, you will learn the interpretation. The interpretation is this, it was about a girl who is so in-loved with a guy. She struggles to make him notice her but the guy always turns her away which hurts her feeling. But the girl, being a martyr when it comes to love, still tries to get his affection and it is always the same result. This makes the girl so sad depressed but still keeps the faith. However in the end, she just walked away because she got tired of the same result. It was really performed well. The music captured the sad theme of this dance. The costume also showed the theme. The way the performers expresses through their dance really captured the essence of the contemporary dance.

The Classic Dance called "Dancing to Verdi" was choreographed well. I was impressed with the steps that showed grace, poise and beauty.

After the Contemporary Dance and Classic Dance performed by Ballet Philippines and Ballet Manila, there was a 10mins intermission to let the performers have a break and also let the audience stretch or go to the restroom.

After the intermission, the Rural Folk Dance called "Pahiyas Festival" was performed. It was a beautiful and it depicts how filipinos celebrate festivals. Filipino Ballet called "Andres KKK" tells about the past during the time of the of Andres Bonifacio. It was a nice performance although I didn't manage to appreaciate it that much since my eyes were getting tired.

After the Rural Folk Dance and Filipino Ballet performed by the Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group and Philippine Ballet Theater was the last performance, The Global Choreography. The Romeo and Juliet Balcony pas de dux was really amazine. I love it since I find the swirls and twirls of the dancers difficult. And by looking at them, I already felt dizzy. The very last performance called "Night Creature" was also beautiful and the audience enjoyed their performance.

So that it all...Until next time~

DeviantArt: That Comeback!

LOL yes yes~ I have a DeviantArt [DA] account years ago. 2 years have already passed since I opened my DA account and I was surprised that it's still alive LOL!

The moment I remembered my username and password, I got inspired once again, and like the old times, I want to draw anime [FanArts] and maybe color my old drawings using Photoshop or even just post pictures I took with either my cellphone or camera.

Anyway, enough chit-chat here's my DA account: ~DarkGriever. Just add me if you want~

PsychOlympics: An Annual Activity of the Psychology Area

Last January 30, 2009, The Letran Psychology Society or LPS held it's annual activity called PsychOlympics. It's not like the real olympics where you would really play sports games like basketball, volleyball etc. It's only simple games, more of parlor games LOLS. Anyway the students are assigned in different colors like red, blue, green, and yellow. [Well basically only 4 colors since there are only 4 psychology professors available. At talagang konti lang ang mga psychology professors] We played games like, Dodgeball, Tug-of-war, Human Bridge, Food relay, and Dragon's Tail.

1st to be played was supposed to be dodgeball but since baka matamaan ang mga kotse, we played Tug-of-war 1st. Red team manage to beat the blue team and the yellow team managed to beat the green team. Mahirap nga lang sa game na ito is that kung wala kang panyo, masusugatan ang kamay ko dahil masakit sa kamay yung rope na ginamit. Maraming nasugatan dahil yung iba ay walang mga panyo kaya tiniis na lamang nila ang sakit sa paghihila. Even I have wounds kasi naman. Ang pwersa ko nasa right hand ko which is mali dahil lefty ako so ang mas malakas is yung left hand. Pero dahil mali ang position ko, wala ako magawa kundi gawin yung makakaya ko para makatulong sa paghihila. The problem is that, since konti lang ang group ko [my team is green by the way] we don't have too many guys around so no choice but to try our best. Also, mahirap rin kasi isa lang ang malaki sa amin while the yellow team have many guys and malalaki ang mga katawan pa. Grabe.

2nd, was supposed to be dodgeball but again, hindi parin natuloy and Human Bridge was the 2nd game to be played. Rules are simple, magkakadikit ang mga paa ng mga tatapakan ng isang member dahil doon sa mga paa na yun siya tatawid. If that member fell down, they have to start all over again. Green team won this game followed by the blue team.

3rd game was the food relay. The rules are, you have to find the coin that is hiding sa harina. You can blow it para mas madali then use your teeth to get the coin and give it to the usher. Next, you have to take a bite of the hotdog with bread and lastly, take a sip from the pepsi bottle using 4 straws [so basically it's really long that you can't really drink sabi ng mga naglaro]. The last member was to eat all the hotdog and drink the whole bottle of pepsi. The game started and almost all teams except for the green team are ahead by one. Mabagal kasi yung nauna maselan ba hahahaha. But they managed to catch-up since the last member is supposed to eat all the hotdog and finish drinking the pepsi. Habang inuubos na ang isang bote ng pepsi nung last member, the last member of the green team cannot drink anything. Dahil dyan tinulungan na siya ng mga ushers kaya naging 2 straws nalang and since 2 straws nalang, mabilis niya naubos but the blue team complained na madaya raw dahil 2 straws lang. But the blue team was also unfair dahil hinahawakan ng last member ang straw which is bawal rin and so is the red team. Kaya ang decision is making the yellow team the winner.

Finally, the 4th games was the dodgeball. Ito ang game na sobrang nakakatawa at masakit rin sa katawan. Rules are simple. You have to avoid getting hit within a time limit. Kaya ang laban is, red vs green. The green team managed to hit at 1 member. But, the red team managed to hit 2 members giving the red team a win. In the yellow vs blue team, dito ang masayang part. Maraming nahheadshot dahil sa sapul na sapul sa ulo or sa mukha ang bola ng volleyball. Since it's a volleyball ball, masakit siya kung tatamaan ka. Ang galing galing ng yellow team because they manage to hit all 4 members. At ng dumating blue team na ang mambabato, they only manage to hit 2 members [particularly the girls]. Nakakatawa na nakakaawa kasi isa sa blue team na babae ang naheadshot at isa rin sa yellow team na babae ang naheadshot. Nakakatakot mambato ang mga lalaki lalo na yung mga members ng blue team kasi mga 4th year na sila plus malalakas at malalaki rin ang katawan. Since 4 ang team, kaya winner vs winner and loser vs loser. Green vs Blue, and Red vs Yellow. Nakakatawa rin ang round na ito dahil lahat ng mga naglalaro ay lalaki LOLS. Kumbaga naging seryosong labanan na. 1st up was green vs blue. Nung una, all is well may mga na-out pero isa dun sa mga lalaki ay may injury so kailangan ng substitute. One of the team's girls sub the guy since wala nang pwedeng magsub na lalaki [I can't sub kasi hindi rin ako makakatakbo] They managed to get 2 members out. When it's the blue team's turn, they only manage to get one. Ang gagaling nila kasi kahit mapatalon ka na para umilag nakakailag parin sila. And now the win vs win. Red vs Yellow. That is like the best dodgeball game na nakita ko kasi ang gagaling umilag ng red and yellow team. Nakakatuwa pa nun kasi nung una, nagkakaproblema kung valid ba ang tira kasi masyadong malapit pero ang natira na lamang sa red ay isa at naubos narin ang oras. Nung yellow na ang umiiwas, nagkakatuwaan pa na unahin raw ang naka uniform dahil raw may class pa ng 6pm hahaha which is siya nga ang nauna na natamaan. 2 na lamang ang natira sa yellow team at naubos na ang oras kaya ang nanalo sa dodgeball ay yellow team. Ang galing galing talaga kasi ang gagaling umiwas hindi ko maimagine na makakya ko yun kahit na favorite ko dati ang dodgeball. Since hindi ko rin kaya tumakbo, I don't want to join tsaka masakit sila mambato na nung tumatalsik ang bola papunta sa side naming mga nakaupo, at binabalik ko sa kanila...masakit sa kamay. Kamay pa lang iyon what more kung tamaan ka sa ulo or sa katawan edi bugbog sarado ka LOL

For the last game, we played Dragon's Tail. It is the same as the caterpillar iniba lang ang pangalan LOL [mas naging astig nga eh kesa sa caterpillar haha]. Rules are simple, the 1st member has to take the handkerchief from the last member of the opposing team. Dapat ninyo rin iwasan na hindi kayo kakalas sa team ninyo dahil automatic na out ka na pagka kumalas ka. Dito maraming nasugatan at nasaktan. Imagine ha maraming mga pantalon ang nasira sa game na ito due to the fact na gumulong-gulong ang mga kasali dahil sa hindi sila nakakapit ng maayos sa mga likod ng nasa unahan nila. Sa green team maraming gumulong-gulong at nainjured dahil sa maraming mga babae sa amin at hindi sila mga naka rubber shoes. Kaya nakakatawa na nakakaawa rin dahil mga sumakit ang balakang, nasira ang pantalon, may natuklapan ng balat at iba pa. Buti nga, walang napunit na mga t-shirt kung hindi kawawa naman ang napunitan ng damit. Lucky hindi ganun kakapit ang nasa likod ko kasi paakap ang ginawa niya. Madali pang mastretch ang damit ko kaya kinakabahan rin ako baka kasi mapunit kasi yun na lamang ang nag-iisang damit ko na green LOL. Problema lang rin talaga is hindi malakas ang grip niya sa akin kaya lahat ng mga nasa likod ko nagsisitumbahan. Ako kasi, pagka kumapit umaakap talaga ako pero kung hind na ako makaakap, kailangan ko talaga kumapit sa damit at mabilis na makahabol. Malas ko lang rin dahil natapakan nanaman ang paa ko kung kelan mayroon akong sugat sa paa tsaka talaga ako matatapakan. Really great....=____="

Overall, kahit maraming na-injured at maraming sumakit ang mga katawan, it's still fun and I won't forget lahat ng mga nakakatawang pangyayari last Friday, January 30, 2009.

Reminiscing in the Sunset

-- Happy New Year again everyone! I know I haven't been posting anything after the New Year. But because I forgot to post my stories here, then I present to you...my works. It's not really good and I don't know if you guys would enjoy reading it but nevertheless, I'll post it. --

As I watch the great ocean, the cool breeze makes my hair sway. It relaxes my mind and not to mention my soul.

I’m just an ordinary person trying to find a suitable companion. But to my discontent, I cannot find anyone. And so here I am, watching the beautiful sunset. Reminiscing the times that I was in high spirits. The times that I was loved. But I cannot forget those days when I was in deep sorrow. Those unforgettable days that I was with someone that understands me. But then leaves me in the end. Someone that makes my day bright. As bright as the sun as I would say. But wounded my heart in the end. I could still remember it like it was only yesterday.

I was sitting in the corner. Not allowing anyone to interfere my deep thinking. But someone walked near me and asked me to join. At first I was afraid, afraid to join others because I would still be
lonely in the end. But I still joined. And for the first time in my life, I was happy. Happy that I have someone that understands and cares about me and even loved me for who I am. Our friendship grew stronger and stronger but that was not the only thing I had in mind. I think that I’m having a deeper feeling than just being friends. I’m starting
to love her. I do not want her to be alone. I don’t even want her to be lonely as I am when I first met her. She has the eyes that I really admired. The eyes of a really beautiful maiden. Those eyes that shine in the night sky. I cannot say that it was really love for I am still young. A young heart is not that ready for real love yet but I didn’t mind. I like to watch her every move. She walks gracefully just like dancing happily in the grass. She talks to me gently like an angel singing.

I shouldn’t have loved her. Why have I felt this? We were never meantto be. I’m just fooling myself in believing that she would love me back equally like I have loved her. I was wrong. She found somebody else and I was there. She would talk about it to me. And as a friend, I would gladly help her to be with the guy she liked. But deep inside, I was hurt. It was like my heart stopped beating. But I only smiled and let her go. It was all that I could do. I cannot force myself at her. All I could do is support her every step of the way. And so, she and the guy she loved where together. I’m really happy for her because she is happy.

Until this day, I cannot forget that very day that she said yes to that person she had loved. And so I’m here standing watching the beautiful sunset and reminiscing those times I’m with her. I surely missed her smile and even her voice. But now, I’m standing alone in this rock where the waves are crashing it and the wind blowing my hair like I’m being comforted. I started to cry. A soft cry. I knew that this would happen but I didn’t mind. I really loved her but I was not
loved back equally like I have loved her. But I’m happy that I got to experience this. It was not an ordinary feeling.

As I watch the sunset, the waves sang a song in my heart as a sign that I must move on. Even the wind is speaking to me to carry on with my life. But moving on is not that easy. You cannot forget someone who means a lot to you that easily especially if that person has a sentimental value in your heart like I am experiencing right now. But it is true, I should move on. I cannot change what had happened. But somehow, I can still start anew and find somebody else. I’m still young and I still have time. But maybe, just maybe, I should be happy for what I have now. I might lose it in the end too.

Life is short and life as they say is beautiful especially when you lived your life to what will make you happy but life can be hard at times. We mustn’t forget that even in those hard times, we can still go on with our lives with deep faith and with those who are around you.

Loneliness is not always bad. It sometimes makes you think about all those sweet memories you have had. Not to mention those heartbreaking memories that haunts you wherever you are. We mustn’t let those miserable memories affect the way we live our life. Happiness wins in the end.

-End-

A Brand New Year, A Brand New Start

At 12 midnight, we will now say goodbye to year 2008 and welcome year 2009.

There are so many things that had happened in the year 2008 like global crisis, natural calamities and disasters. But nevertheless, year 2008 has been a way to new experiences, new acquaintances, new friends and new lifestyle. All of it may or will change in the coming year and we will never know what new things will be in store for us.

As the new year approaches, let us not forget the Lord for giving us a new year to start a new life. Let us also not forget our family who have always been there for us through the years. Let us not forget our friends whom we have shared our ups and downs for the year 2008 and let us not forget our loved ones who have already passed away for they will not be forgotten.

Since the New Year will be a fresh start for all of us, don't forget to say thank you for all the things that have happened in the past and apologize to those whom we have hurt unintentionally.


To those who are reading my posts, I would like to say thank you for taking time in reading it.

To my old friends, thank you for all those years that we have known each other. I'm sorry if I had been distant and I'm sorry of the things that I have done wrong. Since everyone changes, I will also. It may not be the year but someday I will. I wish you all the best.

To my new friends, thank you for being a part of my life this 2008. I hope in the coming years we will still be friends.

To all, I thank you very much and have a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Insomia Behavioral Remedies

Ever wondered how you can solve Insomnia? Sure you could always use a sleeping pill since it's so easy. But do you know that you can also use behavioral remedies? In this post, I'll be talking about how to solve Insomnia through behavioral remedies.

But first, what is Insomnia?
-- Insomnia, in general, is a problem about not getting enough sleep. But there are differences in how this comes about. The difficulty of an insomniac may lie in falling asleep, waking up frequently during the night, or in waking up too early. For some people, Insomnia is temporary, because of stressful life events. For others, it can be the caused by a psychological problem like depression. --

Can sleeping pills be used to cure Insomnia?
-- Yes it can. However, it is not advisable because they lose their effectiveness overtime. They also have some serious side effects like nightmares, memory loss, and hallucinations. --

If that would be the case, then how can you cure or remedy Insomnia?
-- We can cure or remedy Insomnia by behavioral remedies. --

What are those behavioral remedies?
-- These behavioral remedies can the following:

a. Maintaining a regular sleep schedule. Go to sleep and get up at the same time everyday.
b. Eat a proper diet.
c. Avoid stimulants such as coffee, soft drinks, and cigarettes. Instead, drink warm milk and eat starchy foods, like bread and potato, which can increase the level of brain serotonin (serotonin is a neurotransmitter associated with sleep)
d. Don't go to bed too full or too hungry
e. Exercise regularly, but do not before bedtime.
f. Take a warm bath before bedtime.
g. Do not work up the mind before going to bed. Avoid thoughts that can cause anxiety, worry or excitement. Sleep is essentially a matter of knowing how to let go.
h. Learn how to relax before going to sleep. This can be done through a simple relaxation exercise (like progressive muscle relaxation), meditation, or listening to soothing music.
i. Don't fight Insomnia. Instead of forcing yourself to sleep, get out of bed and engage in some activity. Go back to bed only when you feel sleepy again. --

Source: Teh, Lola A. and Macapagal, Ma. Elizabeth. General Psychology for Filipino College Students. pp. 112-113

Some additional ways on how to sleep: [This was given by our professor in Gen. Psych last sem]

a. While lying on bed, inhale and exhale while saying one 'single' number in your mind.
b. While lying on bed, relax your mind and focus in relaxing your body. Pretend your floating and you'll feel relaxed.

And so there you go, behavioral remedies for Insomnia. I tried most of it myself [even though I don't have Insomnia LOL I just want to try if it would really make me fall asleep] It worked but not always. It may work if you just relax and don't stress yourself if you can't make it work LOL

I hope this post can add additional knowledge about Insomnia.

Until next time~

Heart Warmers

It's almost the New Year and I forgot to publish the rest of my post last few days. Anyway, I now present to you heart warming quotes. Taken from my old blog. [again LOL] This is the last compilation of quotes I have. I'll be posting other quotes that I love individually the next time.

And without further ado, the quotes~


It hurts to love someone and not to be love in return, but what is more painful is to love someone and never find the courage to let that person know how you feel. Maybe God want us to meet a few wrong people before meeting the right one so that when we finally meet the right person, we will know how to be grateful for that gift.

Love is when you take away the feeling, the passion, and the romance in a relationship- and find out you still care for that person. A sad thing in life when you meet someone who means a lot to you, only to find out in the end that it was never meant to be and you just have to let go. When the door of happiness closes, another opens but often times we look so long at the closed door that we don’t see the one that has been opened for us.

The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with, never say word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you’ve ever had. It is true that we don’t know that we’ve got until we lose it, but it’s also true that we don’t know what we’ve been missing until it arrives. Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they’ll love you back. Don’t expect to love in return, just wait for it to grow to their heart but if it doesn’t, be content it grew in yours.

There are things you’ve love to hear that you would never hear from the person whom you would like to heard them from, but don’t be so deaf as not to hear it from the one who says it from his heart. Never say goodbye if you still want to try- never give up if you feel you can go on- never say you don’t love that person anymore if you can’t let go. Love comes to those who still hope although they’ve been disappointed, to those who still believe although they’ve been betrayed, need to love those who still love although they’ve been hurt before.

It takes only a minute to get crush to a someone, an hour to like someone and a day to love someone but it takes a lifetime to forget that someone, specially if that someone who means a lot to you. Don’t go for looks, that can deceive- don’t go for wealth, even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile because smile can make your day bright. Hope you find the one who makes you smile.

There are moments in life when you miss someone so much that you just want to pick them from your dreams and hug them for real. Hope you dream of that special someone.

Dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go; be what you want to be; but be sure the things you’ll do is good to the eyes of others specially to God. Don’t waste your time to those things that’s not too important. Be true to your self and be practical. May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trial to make you strong, enough sorrow to make you human, enough hope to make you happy.

Always put yourselves in others’ shoes. If you think that it hurts you, it probably hurts other person too. A careless word may kindle strife; a cruel word may wreck a life; a timely word may level stress; a loving word may heal and bless. The beginning of love is to let those we love be just themselves, and twist them with other own image- otherwise, we love only the reflections of ourselves we find in them. The happiest of people don’t necessarily have the best of everything they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.

Happiness lies for those who cry those who hurt, those who have searched and those who have tried, for only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives. Love begins with a smile grows with a kiss and ends with a tear.

The brightest future will always be based on the forgotten past, you can’t go on well in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches. When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so that when you die, you’re the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.


And that is all folks. I have to hurry before New Years Eve since I'll be enjoying the rest of the night jumping, making noise, eating food and drinking red wine...[weeeeeee~ try Franzia it's really good!]