starry starry night

i was informed by my brother that mars and venus (the planets) were visible in the evening sky and they could be seen from his bedroom window. i rushed to his room and there were the two bright starlike figures just below the moon.

in roman mythology, venus was the goddess of love and mars was the god of war. i found myself talking to these mythological creatures to help me find what i seek in this journey... love and the strength to go through the battles ahead of me.

they said that if you wish on a star, it will come true. i wonder if it's true with wishes made on planets.

Song of the Day: Wish (by Nine Inch Nails)
I put my faith in god and my trust in you
Now there's nothing more fu**ed up i could do

a fourth grader's word of the day

my nephew was asking for help on his english homework. he had to write a dialogue using intransitive verbs. here is part of his homework:

NICO: She writes fluently in English.

then, my nephew asked me what "fluently" meant. we checked the dictionary and came up with "effortlessly." my brother then made a suggestion:

KYLE: if you like my aunt's writing, then you should see my uncle. he dances fluently in spanish.

when my nephew was picked up by my aunt, she asked him "did you get your homework done?"
he replied, "fluently."

Song of the Day: Effortlessly (by Sister Hazel)

It shouldn't be so hard just to be effortlessly

Weightless worries fall away

Wasted pools of energy

once upon a monday

on a monday morning 12 years ago, there was an argument between an ordinary fourteen year-old girl and a cousin of the jordanian prince arising from the gentlemanly gesture of pouring milk for her...

on a monday morning six months ago, a fresh graduate from law school woke up with a smile on her face putting off the worries about the bar exams till the next day...

on a monday morning four weeks ago, a barrister woke up with a huge headache worrying on how to forget the question on Warm Warm Honey by Mocha Warm...

on a monday morning seven days ago, an unemployed law graduate woke up to do the laundry and instead got a surprise visit from somebody unexpected...

this monday morning, the same person woke up with a smile turned toward the sunshine, not feeling the thirty degree weather outside and ready to slip her feet into her new discounted kate spade mary janes for a new road trip.

i think i may learn to love mondays.

Song of the Day: Life Is A Highway (by The Rascal Flatts)

There's no load that I can't hold

Road so rough, this I know

I'll be there when the light comes in

Tell 'em we're survivors

spanish 101

after an hour and a half of listening to "learn to speak spanish" on my iPod, all i can manage to remember is:

tengo hambre. quiero comer a hora.

(i am hungry. i want to eat now)

necesito saber hablar espanol a hora pero no puedo. no es posible.

(i need to know how to speak spanish now but i can't. it's impossible).

i should take kai's advice and write down the lyrics to the marimar theme song if asked to write in spanish for the FSO written exam.

Ayuda... madre de Dios!

Song of the Day: Dance of the Cucumber (from Veggie Tales)

Escuchen al pepino

(Listen to the cucubmer)

que dulce as su canto

(oh how sweet his voice)

la voz de su garganta perece un triar

(the breath from his throat is like a chorus of little birdies)

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

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.

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.

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.

rehearsing for better days (brought to you by el hombre)

pambie: mahina ang tama ng el hombre.


pambie: traydor pala yang el hombre. akala mo walang tama pero pag tayo mo nakakahilo.
ten minutes later... she was fast asleep.

kai: walang cuervo eh. el hombre nalang... uncle ni don enrique at ni jose cuervo.

She said, child we are all moons in the dark of night.
Ain't no morning's gonna come 'til the time is right.
Can't get to better days lest you make it through the night.
You gotta make it through the night. 

Song of the Day: Better Days (by Dianne Reeves)

the importance of accessorizing

Things happen for a reason... even movie schedules. I found the perfect movie to watch the night before the grades in rem rev become final. Real life is indeed stranger than fiction:

I read this, in this fantastically depressing book, that when you jump from a building, it's rarely the impact that actually kills you.

x x x x x x x x

Sometimes, when we lose ourselves in fear and despair, in routine and constancy, in hopelessness and tragedy, we can thank God for Bavarian sugar cookies. And, fortunately, when there aren't any cookies, we can still find reassurance in a familiar hand on our skin, or a kind and loving gesture, or subtle encouragement, or a loving embrace, or an offer of comfort, not to mention hospital gurneys and nose plugs, an uneaten Danish, soft-spoken secrets, and Fender Stratocasters, and maybe the occasional piece of fiction. And we must remember that all these things, the nuances, the anomalies, the subtleties, which we assume only accessorize our days, are effective for a much larger and nobler cause. They are here to save our lives. I know the idea seems strange, but I also know that it just so happens to be true.

-Emma Thompson as Karen Eiffel (Stranger Than Fiction)

the fine line between agony and ecstasy

one song for two people who evoke very different feelings...

dear dean sundiang:
Pax!

YOU PUT THE BOOM BOOM IN MY HEART
YOU SEND MY SOUL SKY HIGH WHEN YOUR EXAM STARTS...
JITTERBUG INTO MY BRAIN
GOES A-BANG BANG BANG TILL MY FEET DO THE SAME

dear twinkerbellor,
YOU TAKE THE GRAY SKIES OUT OF MY WAY
YOU MAKE THE SUN SHINE BRIGHTER THAN DORIS DAY
TURNED A BRIGHT SPARK INTO A FLAME
MY BEATS PER MINUTE NEVER BEEN THE SAME.

Da Moves... a reprise

In the midst of chaos, anger and excessive blood loss...

Garfield Nikkai: bad trip, bad trip talaga!
Then, my twinkerbellor passes by and acknowledges my presence.
Mother Garfield: Ano, bad trip ka pa ba?
Garfield Nikkai: Di na.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

While reviewing for rem finals...
Garfield Twinkie: Binati ka ni twinkerbellor kaya di ka na badtrip ano?
Garfield Nikkai: Excuse me, ka-chika ko siya!
Garfield Loitis: Kausap mo sya ng yan ang suot mo (pointing to my plunging neckline)
Garfield Nikkai: Ay.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Buti pa ako, nakapag-Da Moves na ulit.
Eh ang registrar's office, may na-improve na ba since the virgule incident?
Buti pa ang Ateneo, kahit mayabang, they made their presence known in Makati last Friday.
Ang LSG ba may na-achieve na sa kanilang so-called freedom wall?
Buti pa si Twinkerbellor, nagsasalita na kahit papaano.
Eh ang mga nagyayabang na estudyante ng Beda, napakita na ba nila that they care about what happens in the world outside law school?

a magninang bonding session

a couple of hours with the most mature eight year old on the face of the earth






wishing all kids were this fun to be with...

easing the blow...

"I also say it is good to fall, battles are lost in the same spirit in which they are won."

-Song of Myself, Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman

alternative careers

pambie and i realized that we didn't want to be lawyers. we're just going through this dahil nanghihinayang nalang kami. this was while we were making our appellant's brief for prac court-- a rape case. so i thought of the alternatives to being a lawyer:

1. housewife- first of all, no prospective husband. second, i cannot stand doing nothing at home. it's okay for a couple of days but after that, i live for stress. call me weird but i do.

2. duo kami ni pambie-- sabi nga ni rene v., do not neglect your musical talent. but it gets boring after a while.

3. taga-gawa ng website ng may website-- after the concon website was finished, pambie said i have a new option if i decide to quit law, pwede na akong web designer. but i can't handle computers. i'm not a techie.

4. disney cartoonist-- i love drawing, sketching, whatever form of visual art you could think of... but i'm scared of doing it for a living because i might hate it eventually.

5. coffee shop/bookstore/gallery owner-- we actually planned this and are still planning. but we need the capital (calling all interested investors) and the only way to make money that i could think of is finish law school and practice law.

i have no choice. i opted for law school and i have to live by that decision even if it kills me.

things i will never run out of...

MUSICLAUGHTER

MAGIC

AND FRIENDS

Once Upon A Sparkling Christmas

Once upon a time there was a law student who was very very tired of her monotonous life...Until one December morning, she was got on what she thought was an ordinary train

That took her to a place where she saw a giant mouse...


... sparkling princess sculptures...

... space rangers...

...and the hottest version of Tarzan she's ever seen.

After getting "princessized," we will never be the same again.