Mandatory Birthday Post

I have one every year.

A Wiki Page

During one clingy bible study session with certain SVCF/IVCF Diliman fresh grads, our session leader posed this question: If you were to have your own Wiki page, about what would you like it to be?

Good Mourning

He ended her story in the morning of November 21.

A Letter from a Brother

September 15, 2013

To you,

One of the biggest preconceptions we all had at some point in our lives before and upon entering the world of Medicine is the belief that doctors save lives. Perhaps by now you are thinking that I will say that this is a lie, since I seem to make a habit of contradicting everything you thought you knew about med school and being a doctor. I am sorry to disappoint you, for the truth straddles the in-between shades of gray as is the typical fashion in this world.

Reflections in Ward 4 Bed 43 and Beyond

I spent the afternoons of the last week of lectures in Ward 4, Bed 43 in PGH. That week was to end with the last module exams before finals, but I didn't care. My father's sister was diagnosed with breast cancer, the extent of which has been recently revealed by lab tests and the long awaited biopsy to be stage 4 and very aggressive.

How to Answer Kia Anarna's Question

"Anong mas masakit na pagkakamali: Yung Type 1 error wherein you conclude that a relationship exists when in fact it doesn't OR Type 2 error where there is really a relationship but you fail to recognize it."

Reason to be Healthy

I don’t want to die a meaningless and senseless death.

Death has been a subject of constant reflection since I learned to commute a fraction of my way to school this semester. Walking along Pedro Gil, I often find myself asking: shall I get stabbed tonight after getting robbed? Would I get hit by a reckless vehicle while crossing Taft? Raped and murdered, perhaps?

Sampung Bagay na Hindi Sasabihin sa Iyo ng Isang Guro

by Eugene Evasco on Sunday, March 20, 2011 at 3:09am

Take-nology for Granted

Technology is greatly appreciated at least twice in their entire existence—when it is first introduced (or discovered) to significantly make lives easier, and decades after it is no longer produced and has outlived its use (and users). In between, it is unappreciated and taken for granted. Such is the concept behind the museum and artifacts. One era’s junk is another era’s treasure. The Ayala Museum, for instance, houses the most ordinary stuff— decades and centuries ago. Nothing’s so special about plates and pots, clothes and ornaments until time makes its mark on them.

Para Sa'yo, Krisha

Actually, exam ko 'to last year sa isang panitikan class. Pero ikaw iniisip ko nung sinusulat ko 'to hihi. Labyu!
 
Yoh. May pinabasa sa’ming mga kwento sa isa kong klase sa panitikan baka magustuhan mo. Maikling kwento lang sila so ilang pages lang yun, saka tungkol sa pag-ibig (na paborito mo kahit wala ka namang lablayp). Malay mo makakuha ka pa ng realizations dun para sa mga hinanakit mo sa buhay.

Week Five Past Five, Still Alive

The eleventh week starts on Monday and ends the head and neck anatomy class with exams until Tuesday. Morning lectures followed by afternoon exams, with only lunch breaks in between. Such is the life of a medical student. Not only do lectures and discussions and all other class activities revolve around exams, exams are the center of our universe. This is important, remember this, they will ask this in the exam. 

A few weeks earlier (feels more like months) before another exam, a classmate fainted on her way to the comfort room. She looked really tired  before the incident, dozing off while reading our anatomy book. Didn't seem to be getting enough sleep. See, exams are even more important than sleep in this part of the universe. Studying one week before the exam is already cramming.

A Tale of Tomato Sauce and Iced Drinks

A little more than a decade ago, eating was torture. While some people live to eat, I barely ate to live. I pretty much disliked most food I tasted. Spaghetti, however, disgusted me the most. 

The Last 80 Multiply Comments

I really wanted to keep these. I think there were more but they're gone! D:

A List of Hannahs

This message was sent to my phone yesterday:

GENO! - Hannah

So I got confused. There are several of them in my world.

Two Close for Comfort

Narrow streets are pedestrian-friendly, I’ve been told. But two entire afternoons of walking on those in Intramuros transports one’s tired legs back to pre-public transportation 19th century the way history books can’t.

Kung Bakit Nagbabasa ng Sulat ng May Sulat

 Isang kaibigan, kamakailan lang, ang nagsabi sa’kin na sinubukan niyang magbasa ng mga liham ni Rizal. Pero hindi raw niya ito nagustuhan dahil pakiramdam niya na parang masyado na raw personal. Tinamaan ako sa kanyang pahayag. Nasaling namin ang paksang iyon habang sinasamahan ko siyang maghintay ng jeep. Dala-dala ko pa noon ang isang munting kopya ng Rizal’s Letters to His Family Members na isasauli ko na sa Filipiñana pagkaalis niya. Mahilig akong magbasa ng ganoong mga sulatin— mga personal na sulat ng kung sinu-sino. Kung kaya’t hindi ko maiwasang makaramdaman ng pangangailangang ipagtanggol ang hilig ko sa pangangalkal ng mga tinuturing na pribadong bagay. At ito ang naging motibasyon ko sa papel na ito.

On the (Perhaps) First Codex

The history professor who gave me my very first INC once told us during a few lectures, non-verbatim, "Katoliko ako pero hindi ko alam kung mabuti akong Katoliko. Ayokong magbasa ng bibliya dahil baka hindi na ako maniwala." He thought the contents of the bible were mythological and there was so much violence.

A pastor from a Christian discussion I attended last December told us of a prominent sociology professor and journalist who read the bible but couldn't understand it so he set it aside.

I used to have my own set of objections to the bible. But then I realized how unjustified I was for holding those opinions because I don't really know anything about it-- I haven't even read it then. So I started reading it. I haven't finished it yet and there are a lot of things I still don't understand, but I found it a pretty addictive read when I realized what it really is about.

Muling Pagsasalaysay ng Isang Creation Story ng Bikol

Bersyon nina Johann Manas, Micael Belmonte at Genevieve Sadaya. Version 1, Abridged.

Isang serye ng mga nakaw na larawan at mukha. Unang pagsalang ng inyong lingkod sa GIMP 2.

Si Ginoong B

ang pinaka cool na aktibistang nakilala ko.

16 na Aral Mula sa Unang 18 Taon sa UP

1. Ang UP ay overrated at sobrang stinereotype. Hindi lahat ng guro dito ay magaling, hindi lahat ng magaling ay nandito. Hindi lahat ng mag-aaral ay "matatapang, matatalino, walang takot kahit kanino." Hindi rin sila pare-pareho mag-isip. Napaka-diverse ng populasyong UP na ang pinaka lehitimong heneralisasyon yatang maaaring makuha sa kanila ay pare-pareho silang pumapasok--maluwang ang paggamit sa salitang "pumapasok" (No pun intended!)--sa UP.