preparing for a long awaited March

For what it's worth: it's never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There's no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you're proud of. If you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.

-The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button

Song of the Day: Me (by Paula Cole)

I am carrying my voice

I am carrying my heart

I am carrying my rhythmn

I am carrying my prayers

But you can`t kill my spirit

It`s soaring and it`s strong

Like a mountain I`ll go on and on

We're singing the same song, Claire. When will it end?

quotable quotes

hearing a rumor that the inevitable may come this february, i found the need to console myself with words of those who have come before me...

"It has been said, 'time heals all wounds.' I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens. But it is never gone."
-Rose Kennedy

"Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars." -Kahlil Gibran

"The basis of shame is not some personal mistake of ours, but that this humiliation is seen by everyone." -Milan Kundera

"Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it." -Helen Keller

"Some of the best lessons are learned from past mistakes. The error of the past is the wisdom of the future." -Dale Turner

"In order to learn the important lessons in life, one must, each day, surmount a fear."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Nothing is permanent in this wicked world— not even our troubles." -Charlie Chaplin

"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face; You must do the thing you think you cannot do." -Eleanor Roosevelt

"Fairy tales do not tell children that dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children that dragons can be killed." -GK Chesterton

"The noir hero is a knight in blood caked armor. He's dirty and he does his best to deny the fact that he's a hero the whole time." -Frank Miller

"For we pay a price for everything we get or take in this world; and although ambitions are well worth having, they are not to be cheaply won." -Lucy Maud Montgomery

The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love and to be greater than our suffering." -Ben Okri

"Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite. Or waiting around for Friday night or waiting perhaps for their Uncle Jake or a pot to boil or a better break or a string of pearls or a pair of pants or a wig with curls or another chance. Everyone is just waiting." -Dr. Seuss

"Nalaman kong habang lumalaki ka, maraming beses kang madadapa. Bumangon ka man ulit o hindi, magpapatuloy ang buhay, iikot ang mundo, at mauubos ang oras." -Bob Ong

Song of the Day: Fallen (by Sarah Mclachlan)

But we carry on our backs the burden

Time always reveals

In the lonely light of morning

In the wound that would not heal

It's the bitter taste of losing everything

That I've held so dear.

haunting evidence

i wanted to read a book in the san beda law library that shirley showed me called "the devil's advocates: greatest closing arguments in criminal law." so i decided that i will get my copy when i visit my grandparents.

i did get a copy from barnes and noble last week. i was reading the second chapter involving a case on illegal searches and seizures, lo and behold, there lay the answer to the political law bar question number 5 in the case of rochin v. california where the evidence was held to be inadmissible because of the shocking conduct of the police against the human rights of the accused.

i knew i should have taken a break and read that book in the library.

Song of the Day: Prayer for the Dying (by Seal)

Been crossin' that bridge,

With lessons I've learned.

Playing with fire,

And not getting burned.

the barrister's creed

(an edited version of the Rifleman's Creed)

although i am technically no longer a barrister, this still holds true.

This is my codal. There are many like it but this one is mine. My codal is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I master my life. My codal, without me is useless. Without my codal, I am useless.

My fountain pen and myself know that what counts in this war is not the rounds we fire, the noise of our burst, nor the smoke we make. We know that it is the hits that count. We will hit...

My memory aid is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weakness, its strength, its pages, its footnotes and its markings. I will keep my memory aid clean and ready, even as I am clean and ready. We will become part of each other. We will...

Before God I swear this creed. My materials and myself are the defenders of my grade. We are the masters of stress. We are the saviors of my life. So be it, until victory is ours and there is no enemy, but Peace.

They say "Be careful what you wish for." I wished for a life without stress. I should've wished for a life after passing the bar... i don't know what i would do if stress was taken out of my life. apparently, i don't know how to slow down and keeping myself busy is as natural to me as breathing.

Song of the Day: Another Suitcase In Another Hall (by Andrew Lloyd Weber)
So what happens now? Another suitcase in another hall

So what happens now? Take your picture off another wall

Where am I going to? You'll get by you always have before

Where am I going to? Don't ask anymore

warm warm honey... certified platinum hit

FACTS: Kaima, Pambie and Nikki took the bar exams. The Mercantile Law exam had an item on Intellectual Property law regarding copyright of a rap song entitled Warm Warm Honey by Mocha Warm. However, particular riffs of the song were found out to be from Under Hassle, a song by Majesty, a British rock band prominently featuring Fredo Uranus as its lead singer. Majesty sued Mocha Warm but the same was settled out of court. The three bar examinees were driven to madness by the difficulty of the exam and wrote a poem inspired by the question on intellectual property law. The particular lines and their authors are indicated below.

(Kaima) Warm, warm honey it's a mystery
boiling point is 120
bagay na bagay sa iced tea.
(Nikki) Ihalo sa coffee
para siguradong wakie wakie
(Pambie) puwede rin sa kamikaze
at sawsawan ng berry
(Pambie) Galing sa bee
na mahilig habulin si Pambie
Warm, Warm, Honey

Break it down Baby, Yeah!

Questions and Suggested Answers:
1. Who owns the copyright of the poem?

The mercantile law examiner, the examinees who became insane and Mocha Warm. There is no legal basis for the answer. It just fell from the heavens.

2. Where will Kaima get her royalty? Is it taxable? at what rate?

She will get it from the original artist, Majesty, who sued Mocha Warm but settled it out of court. If Kaima is a resident citizen (which I assume she is because she took the bar which was the proximate cause of her insanity) it will be taxable if sourced from either within or outside the Philippines, pursuant to Section 23 of the NIRC, as amended by the 2008 Bedan Barristers. It will be taxable at the rate that income tax is taxable, as part of the gross income if within the Philippines or as passive income at the rate of 10% final tax with no base.

Alternative Answer: Kaima will not get her royalty anywhere but it will be taxable because taxes are the lifeblood of the government.

3. Suppose that Nikki shoved a bee and the bee stung Pambie causing her death, who is criminally liable? What crime/s was committed?
Nobody is criminally liable because shoving the bee is not a felony, or a crime for that matter. Under Article 4 of the Revised Penal Code, a person is liable for the crime committed and all its natural and logical consequences. Shoving a bee is not a crime hence, there is no felony.

Alternative Answer: Murder was committed, through the qualifying circumstance of cruelty because the sting of a bee is very painful hence inflicting unnecessary pain upon Pambie. However, nobody is criminally liable because Nikki was insane at the time she shoved the bee as no person in his or her right mind would shove a bee.

Bonus Question: Is the Supreme Court entitled to any royalties? If so, how much? Feel free to invent a legal basis.

Song of the Hour: Heart of the Matter (by India Arie but originally by Don Henley-- who owns the copyright?)

And the more I know, the less I understand

All the things I thought I'd figured out

I had to learn again

I've been trying to get down

To the heart of the matter

But my will gets weak

And my heart is so shattered

arrival under stress

Singing while walking home with tears welling up in my eyes after Dean Albano's encouraging pat on the back... I reached my front door and thought of the marine insurance concept of arrival under stress, which i love so much but never got to use during the bar...

I'm movin, I'm comin

Can you hear what I hear?

It's calling you my dear out of reach

I can hear it calling you

I'm comin not drowning, swimming closer to you

it is defined as the arrival at the nearest and most convenient port, if during the voyage the vessel cannot continue the trip to the port of destination due to:

1. lack of provisions (naubusan ng baon o kaya walang naaral);

2. well-founded fear of seizure, privateers or pirates (takot sa mga baristang nagdidiscuss); and

3. by reason of any accident of the sea disabling it to navigate (i.e. extreme mental fatigue).

I SAID NO PENTEL PEN, ONLY FOUNTAIN PEN DURING THE BAR!!! one more week and it'll be over. di na ako uulit.

Song of the Hour: Pure Shores (by All Saints)

Many faces I have seen

Many places I have been

Walked the deserts, swam the shores

Many faces I have known

Many ways in which Ive grown

Movin closer on my own

from great minds

Modifications of a great legal statement:

"The power to tax is the power to destroy." -Justice Holmes

"The power to tax is the power to destroy but not while the Supreme Court sits." -Justice Cruz

"The power to tax is the power to destroy but not when Justice Tinga sits." -Pambie Herrera

"The power to tax is the power to destroy even while the Supreme Court sits." -Kai Rosario

"Dear God, please destroy the power to tax." -Nikki Espiritu

Prayer is all I have and crying is not an option.

halfway down the sky

the bar exams is half over and i have not redeemed myself from the disasters of the first week. i have two more weeks and no more strength. almost running on empty, i push myself to take more torture and endure more pain.

mae said that this is our mount doom (and from the climb to the 5th floor exam rooms, it might as well be)... we stumble and fall but we have to make it to the top and complete our task. i will finish this task being dragged by the roots of my hair, kicking and screaming.

i should have just gone to med school. i would rather dissect a dead body than be the dead body.

Justice Holmes was not exaggerating when he said that "The power to tax is the power to destroy."

this better be worth it.

Song of the Day: Stuck in a Moment (by U2)

And if the night runs over

And if the day won't last

And if your way should falter

Along the stony pass

It's just a moment

This time will pass

september mantra

FORTITUDINE- "with courage"
SEMPER FIDELIS- "always faithful"

this is how i will face the next three weeks. with a lot of courage and with a lot of faith.
there is nothing else to hold on to.
all i can do is read more and pray harder.
and of course, give thanks to dean sundiang every day.

Song of the Day: One Step At A Time (by Jordin Sparks)

Now you're feeling more and more frustrated

And you're getting all kind of impatient waiting

We live and we learn to take

examinee number 6443

6 more times of waiting for answers to fall from heaven.

4 days till the next torture session.

4 other songs to sing while trying to regain sanity

3 weeks till the end of september

if i breathe, i will make it through this.

creative writing is my friend

prayer is my power.

and next month, i'll be princessized once more.

Song of the Day: One Step At A Time (by Jordin Sparks)

When you can't wait any longer

But there's no end in sight

when you need to find the strength

It's the faith that makes you stronger

The only way you get there

Is one step at a time

suicidal and homicidal

after the first set of exams, i walked home. i deliberately avoided the sidewalk, practically throwing myself on the path of speeding cars. they all missed. i must now go on and suffer for the attempt. i have three weeks to go. there will be better days.

Song of the Day: I Think God Can Explain (Splender)

It's alright, I'm okay

I think God can explain

I believe I'm the same

I get carried away

bearing the cross

ryan: naku, ikaw nalang ang last hope ng 1-i para mag-top ng bar.
nikki: then, 1-i is doomed.

papa to mommy: sabihin mo kay nikki wag na wag na di matutulog bago mag-exam. wag nya kamo masyadong isipin at baka lalong di makasagot.

venus: pag nasa harap mo na yung tanong, kusa nang lalabas ang mga sagot.

nikki: waaaaaaaaah!

debbie to pambie: what you know is enough.

commissioner sarmiento: am confident you will make me proud. the essential elements are there. just remember ora et labora.

anthony: in san beda, you are trained not to pass the bar. you are trained to top the bar.

nikki: waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

priest last sunday: we must make sacrifices if we want to get what we want. we must bear our crosses.

the rolling stones: you can't always get what you want. you get what you need.

nikki: waaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Song of the Day: Pride (In the Name of Love) by U2

One man caught on a barbed wire fence

One man he resist

One man washed on an empty beach.

One man betrayed with a kiss

In the name of love...

What more in the name of love?

525, 600 minutes more please

first was the dream of yellow and hot pink togas with sovereignty and song lyrics
now is the nightmare of being infected a skin disease infecting my hands before the bar.
there six more weeks of sleepless nights ahead.
i can do this...
nightmares will not stop me. nor will imaginary skin diseases. not even song lyrics

Song of the Day: Time and Tide (by Basia)

It's a matter of time, only a matter of

Time and tide nothing and no one can stop us now

and i pray

i pray that...

i get over the stress that's slowly taking over
i get the strenght to fight the laziness and the psychosomatic illnesses
i get the courage to march along taft avenue, enter the de la salle campus and take the bar
i find my partner to create a beautiful smile

and most of all, i pray that
i pass the 2008 bar exams with flying colors

Song of the Day: Man in Motion (Theme from St. Elmo's Fire by John Parr)

I can climb the highest mountain, cross the wildest sea

I can feel St. Elmo's Fire burnin' in me

the laws that really matter

These are the laws that should be remembered AT ALL TIMES. They won't be any help during the bar but still...
LAWS OF INEVITABILITY

LAW OF MECHANICAL REPAIR
After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch or you'll have to pee.

LAW OF THE WORKSHOP
Any tool, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner.

LAW OF PROBABILITY
The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act.

LAW OF THE TELEPHONE
If you dial a wrong number, you never get a busy signal.

LAW OF THE ALIBI
If you tell the boss you were late for work because you had a flat tire, the very next morning you will have a flat tire.

VARIATION LAW
If you change lines (or traffic lanes), the one you were in will start to
move faster than the one you are in now (works every time).

LAW OF THE BATH
When the body is fully immersed in water, the telephone rings.

LAW OF CLOSE ENCOUNTERS
The probability of meeting someone you know increases dramatically when you are with someone you don't want to be seen with.

LAW OF THE RESULT
When you try to prove to someone that a machine won't work, it will.

LAW OF BIOMECHANICS
The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach.

LAW OF THE THEATER
At any event, the people whose seats are furthest from the aisle arrive last.

LAW OF COFFEE
As soon as you sit down to a cup of hot coffee, your boss will ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold.

LAW OF LOCATION
No matter where you go, there you are.

LAW OF LOGICAL ARGUMENT
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.

Song of the Day: Elevation (by U2)

I've lost all self-control

Been living like a mole

Now going down, excavation

word of the week

burnout (n): exhaustion of one's physical or emotional strength

i never knew what it really meant. until now.

Song of the day: If God Will Send His Angels (by U2)

It's the stuff, it's the stuff of country songs

But I guess it was something to go on.

Hey, if God will send his angels

I sure could use them here right now

bahala na si batman

"The night is darkest just before dawn. And I promise you, the dawn is coming."

-Harvey Dent (The Dark Knight)

I have to believe that the dawn is coming. But until then, I will have to endure the night hoping that inside me is a fighter like Batman, believing I have to go on even if I am not indestructible.

Song of the Day: Human (The Pretenders)

See I bleed and I bruise,
But what's it to you
I'm only human on the inside
And if looks could deceive,
Make it hard to believe
I'm only human on the inside

FYI: I have to warn those who haven't seen the film yet, it was the most disturbing 2 hours and 32 minutes of my life but it was well worth it.

all we have is now

this is the photo that will be on my bar exam permit. since there is a 0.5 in about 6000 chance that this photo will be published in a major newspaper, i am publishing it now.

sabi nila bawal ang digitally edited photo. if they still think this is digitally edited... oh boy.

the bar fee has been paid and the petition to take the bar has been signed. this is it.

WALA NANG ATRASAN.
i'm scared.

Song of the day: Run to the Water by Live

Run to the water

And find me there

Burnt to the core but not broken

We'll cut through the madness

Of these streets below the moon

With a nuclear fire of love in our hearts

sa library ni kuya

when you've been hanging out at the library as long as we have, you tend to run into all sorts of characters:

"Big Brother" - the omnipresent, omniscient and benevolent librarian who promised that as long as he was the "kuya" of the library, we will never be evicted. thank you, kuya bernard, for the encouragement and for your endless patience.

"The Photocopier" - ate marlyn, who patiently takes our photocopy orders and delivers them to our table free of charge. she lends us her scissors, pens, pillows and a helping hand. she patiently listens to our ramblings and gives us subtle encouragements. she is an angel.

"Paris Hilton" - the non-Bedan reviewee who does not know how to respect other people's property and constantly chats with his table-mate without even thinking that others are bothered by his actions.

"Kim Kardashian" - the Paris wannabe, look-alike ng kalaban.

"Mr. Nice Guy" - I'm assuming he's a friend or merely an acquaintance of "Paris" who tries to do some damage control by sitting somewhere else when "Paris" is around so that he won't be part of a group that bothers others. He is meek, quiet, considerate, nice and very very respectful of others who are trying to pretend that they're studying. He is only guilty by association and nothing else.

"Quasi-Annie" - the lady who walks to other tables, opens books and lecture notes just to see what the other reviewees are reading. she is intrusive and sometimes smiles at what she's reading and suddenly laughs alone. ate pau thinks she's got a bar buddy we can't see.

"The Garfields" - some get to the library early and some cannot show up before 10am. some are occasionally quiet and some burst into the chorus of Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now. there is always food on their table and the same table by some miracle induces sleep. the table is never empty. we have marked our territory and we will stay there until september. in this table, there is constant laughter, music, the occasional tequila dance and no spaces between the seats (ang hahaba kasi ng legs pag nag-stretch ng paa).

One has to wonder, ano kayang sinasabi nila tungkol sa amin?

In the library where we were once rumored to be banned, there are a lot of characters and there will be more come June. no matter how different we all are, we all go through the same stress, the same trials and we will achieve the same triumphs.

Song of the Day: The Remedy by Jason Mraz

The remedy is the experience.

This is a dangerous liaison

I say the comedy is that it's serious.

monotonous days

araw-araw nalang ganito ang buhay ko. walang katapusang pagbabasa. bakit? BAKIT? BAKIIIT?
these are the endless days and sleepless nights, constant anxiety and mental anguish.

All the words that I've been reading
Have now started the act of bleeding
Into one.

So I walk up on high
And I step to the edge
To see my world below.
And I laugh at myself
While the tears roll down.
'Cause it's the world I know.
It's the world I know.

Song of the Day: The World I Know by Collective Soul