Hot-ah! Hot-ah!

The heat is too much!

I'm literally melting just sitting down. I start sweating as soon as I step out of the shower. It would've been nice if I were in a beach not here in the city where there's smog and pollution in the air.

They say it's gonna be even hotter in the next few weeks.

Ugh!

MBA 2005 Graduation Ceremony

MBA 2005 ending this journey and starting a new one...


The 315 Girls -- sans Alisa -- during the final moments...

What the F*&%?!!!!

I just have to get this out of my chest... it's really depressing me! Ever since I came home from the dorm I've made it a point to watch American Idol regularly. For the last couple of weeks there seems to be something wrong with the American public! Hello... they've been voting out the really, really good ones! Last week it was Anwar. C'mon! His rendition of Stevie Wonder and Earth, Wind, and Fire were amazing! And then... and then... omigosh! Today they voted out one my ultimate favorite -- Constantine! I'm really a rocker chick and I've been rooting for Bo and Constantine. I think it's about time for a rocker to win American Idol. I like Constantine a little more than Bo coz Bo just has too much hair for my taste... I'm a little bit apprehensive with guys with better hair than I do. And Constantine's cleft chin is sooooo cute!

I don't know what these Americans were thinking still keeping Scott over Constantine or Anwar. It's really sad! Even Paula Abdul cried... she came up to Constantine's parents and hugged them. Awww... so sweet!

Now, all I have is Bo as my main man!

Rock on!

What's In A nickName?

I can tell how long I've been friends with someone by the name they call me. People I met after high school call me Conci, a name given to me by my childhood friend, Willa, during high school. It's actually a name of a director of a Martin Nievera show called MAD, Martin After Dark. He would say "Conci, just do it!" It kinda stuck with the rest of my barkada. I never knew how it was suppose to be spelled. I figured c-o-n-c-i looked sensible enough. Now, even though I had another nickname, I used Conci coz it sounded more... mature? However, Conci still seem to be still long for some and would be cut down to Cons.

My classmates in St. Scholastica's Academy of Marikina would call me by my first name, Mericon, especially those in grade school. A coined name from my two grandmothers: Mercedes and Consuelo. My mom just added i in the middle. My brother had a coined name too from our two grandfathers: Juan (John) and Eliodoro... thus, Johnel. My parents say its a tribute to their parents. Now I'm thinking, should I look for a husband whose parents name match mine to continue the tradition?

All my cousins and even some people who are really close to me would call me by my real nickname given to me by my parents, Con-con. Typical in Filipinos to have names said twice... Jun-jun, Len-len, Tin-tin, etc. In my father's province I'm Manang Con-con... and in my mother's province I'm Ate Con-Con. My mom, of course, calls me Mericon especially when she's mad at me.

My guitar teacher when I was 12 years old thought my name was spelled separately... Mary Con... he would call me Mary. It made me cringe!

My favorite history teacher in college, Fr. Laiff (rest his soul!), would pronounce my name Conchi. He is Italian after all.

Well, whatever name I'm called it's still me. But... anybody wanna call me mine? Hahaha!

Moments in a Bottle

I’ve always wished I could bottle up my favorite moments in my life so I could simply open one whenever I feel I need some happy moments to perk me up. I’ll keep them on a shelf so I won’t to forget how each moment made me feel, like the burst of sweetness in my mouth the first time I bite into my favorite chocolate bar… or seeing my best friend’s baby daughter for the first time… or the warmth of a friend’s embrace while I quietly cry because of someone or something… or when I’m by the beach gazing at the night sky studded with stars and I feel completely at peace... or the scent of the breath right before a loving kiss.

Actually, I don’t have many of those moments, probably that’s why I’d love to keep them forever.