TDR: We Still Have Rooms for Improvement

                Time went so fast that after a few weeks of preparation and practice, we had our CAE Technical Dress Rehearsal last November 18. Most of our props and costumes were made in a rush. As I stepped inside the classroom early that morning, everyone was busy. Most of my classmates were going to and fro, asking questions and clarifications. Our schedule was still in the afternoon but the hairdos were done in the morning. As for the costume of the guards, we cut the cloth into pieces that day also. So I called it cram. Fortunately, most of our subjects in the morning were given for preparation, except for Biology. I understand that we should also catch up in other subjects.

                While preparing, I remembered that I have not memorized one part of my lines. I was wearing my costume and makeup but the most important thing that I should do, or shall I say- I should have done before, was missing. I did not memorize my lines intentionally. I memorized them because of regular practices. And I ended up deciding to adlib. Of course I did not tell our directress about this or she’ll get mad. Before the TDR, I rested in the classroom and retouched my makeup. I did not really feel nervous compared to my other classmates.

                One the things a section must not forget before starting the TDR is prayer. As usual, we had a company call for prayer and then we started. It went fine (Define fine). The technical for me was neat. A few mistakes but that’s part of it. I mean, we cannot get rid of mistakes. There was one time the music was late so good thing our characters know how to adlib. Of course, some forgot a few of their lines (that includes me). Here is the funniest thing ever happened in the TDR! We had this banquet scene and so food was the star in that scene. Everyone onstage did not hesitate to get some (count me in). And because we were too stunned with the taste of the food, we almost forgot that we still have to go on with the play. We were delivering our lines with our mouths full of food. I don’t what happened but I forgot to give the pendant to one character and in the banquet scene, the king will find out that the pendant was lost. My eyes opened very wide and I quickly got the pendant and threw it at the side. People at the backstage laughed at what I did. And I said my lines with cheese sticks in my mouth.

The TDR, as a whole, was a success. Although we had some things to improve on like voice projection, characterization and annunciation, I was happy with the outcome. Thanks to the critic, Mr. Joseph Albana for helping us to improve our play. Hopefully, on Monday (our pre-judging), there will be an improvement on our performance. Good luck to us!

Growing in the Heart

A group of students were discussing a picture of a family. In the picture, one little boy had a different hair color compared to the other family members.

                “Why do you think that his hair color is different?” asked the teacher.

                “Maybe he is adopted?” suggested the boy.

                A little girl said, “I know all about adoptions because I am adopted.”

                “What does that mean to be adopted?” asked another child.

                “It means,” said the girl, “that you grew in your mother’s heart instead of her tummy.”

-          George Dolan, Chicken Soup for the Soul

Had Fun at the Science Camp

            From October 28 to 30, that is three days, I attended the Regional Science Olympiad and Congress. With me were eleven other high school students namely Rae, Hannah, Krizza, Felise, Dymphna, manangs in the 3^rd year: Jessica, Yanny, Kylie, and 4^th year: Nina, Justine and Mocha. Meet new friends, learn new stuff and have fun were the top three things we did.

 We spent most of the time under the heat of the sun. Some of the games we played were Egg Relay, Catapult, Tug-of-War, and Mechanical Arm, modified pass the Message, Super Bakya or Kadang-kadang, and Human Circuit. We also answered Science-related questions. We also had Lecture and Quiz Bee per year level. And four of us participated in the Super Quiz Bee by schools. As of now, we don’t know the final and official results but hopefully we made it to the top 5. I missed the parade and pledge ceremony but according to the campers who attended, the parade was the best time to make friends with other schools.

 The AC 3^rd year campers enjoyed making friends with the Sun Yat Sen learners. The three-day Science Camp was exhausting but fun. I met new friends coming from the province of Guimaras, Antique, Capiz, and towns of Dingle, Dumangas and many more.

On the third day, I did not join in the games anymore. Instead, I stayed in our quarter and slept. I did not have a good sleep the previous night because the last program, Scientist Look-Alike Pageant, ended twelve midnight. Plus, I slept past two o’clock because I ran out of water for bath. That means I slept without taking a half bath (Yucky, right). My body was sticky and I felt warm. I only had about an hour of sleep because I woke up and immediately took a bath by 4:30 in the morning.

By the end of the day, I felt totally tired and sleepy. Upon reaching home, I took a nap.

TOP TEN THINGS I LIKE ABOUT MY BEST FRIEND

10.) She makes sure that I am okay through texting.

9.) She is eager to know more about me not through slow and secret discovery but direct and straightforward questions such as, “What are your hobbies?” and “I notice you always buy C2. Is that your favorite drink?”

8.) She checks on me and makes sure that I am safe.

7.) She is willing to love what I love and learn to like what I like.

6.) She is willing to wait for half an hour just to see and talk to me.

5.) She means what she says and says what she means: “I love you, Bes!”

4.) She shares to me her dreams about me, experiences when she was young, and goals she wants us to fulfill together.

3.) She understands and accepts me for who I am: silent, quite shy and sometimes snobbish.

2.) She knows and senses whenever I have problems. Once she finds out that I am not okay, she goes near and comforts me.

And the number 1 thing (the creepiest but most interesting) I like about my best friend is that:

1.)    She once sensed that I went to this particular place and her instinct was correct. I really went to that place. COOL HUH!?

Words from the Heart

“Whenever I look at my palms, I wonder which of those cute, funny criss-cross lines made me so lucky that I met you.”

-          October 14, 2011

“The most wonderful gift from Lord… my Isza!!! Do you know her? She changed my life!”

-          October 16, 2011

“I love her more than anyone else. If I’m not mistaken, I love her more than my life. I will do everything just to make her happy. Words are not enough to let her know how much I love her!”

-          October 16, 2011

Believe me. These words came from the heart of my best friend.

First Time at Bora

            I was seven years old when we went to Boracay Island. Since it was my first time to travel for more than three hours, the excitement I felt awakened me four o’clock in the morning. We only drank a glass of Milo and left the house. I only changed clothes but I did not take a bath. We traveled for almost five hours. When we arrived in Boracay, we first searched for a place, hotel or cottage, to stay in for the next three days. Since it was summer, almost all hotels were fully booked. We stayed in Casa Pillar. We enjoyed our stay there. My love for the beach caused me sunburn. We went home with our helpers teasing us as aetas.  

The Missing Piece

Every single day, we come across several people. May it be in school or not.  Different people may come our way and then we make friends. But what is unusual and rare in this instance we all undergo everyday in our lives? That is, building friendship- deeper friendship- with a person you did not expect to enter your life. At first, both of your pathways intersected. Then, something in the complex neurons in your brain tells you to go near her. After a while, you realize that there is something different about her that triggers you to take a break and chat with her. Then as time passes by, you both become closer than before to the extent of becoming best friends.

Before she became my best friend, she was a total stranger to me. Okay, I saw her along my way and then that was all. A few years passed and I seemed to notice her most of the time. It did not take a long time when we finally had short conversations about simple things. Then, it slowly developed into having deeper topics such as about one’s self, likes and dislikes, and all the rest. “I want to know you better. What are your favorite foods and what are your hobbies?” she asked once. It all started there. I lived my life the usual way, wake up, go to school and learn, have some fun, go home and do homework, so on and so forth. Then here comes an investigator of my life, making me feel that I am missing something. I am missing something very important and that made me feel incomplete.

“I want… I want you to… be my…best friend,” she said at last.  I was speechless. I was shocked that I cannot respond to the things she said. No one… not one has ever said this to me. She was the first who told me that. Coming from a friend I did not expect to be close with, everything in my mind changed. I had to make a decision. Will I say YES or reject this offer? I was having second thoughts. If I will accept it, I will have to accept also that time will come she will leave me. If I will reject, that means I might be missing the chance of being the luckiest person in the world for having a best friend like her. “She could be the one of the missing pieces,” said my mind. It ended with a YES. And there she is, my best friend.

So far, I am enjoying her company. I love her so much that we say it to each other more than twice in day. We only have a little time being together. When we have the chance to be with each other, we grab it like there is no tomorrow. When I am with her, we can talk about anything. I can share what I feel and I am free to say and do anything while I am with her. She knows several things about me and so do I.  As much as possible, I want her to be my first and last best friend. After a month, I came to a conclusion that she is really one of the missing pieces. One of the missing pieces I never knew I would find from her.