The Happy List

I've been feeling down the past couple of days, so I decided that a sprinkle of optimism on Tuesdays was long overdue! I decided to participate in Wild-Spirit's The Happy List blog link up!

1) Checking off everything on my to-do list. 

2) Imagine Dragon's On Top of The World.

3) Office Supply Shopping. 

4) Doing something you never thought you could do. (Getting to p. 200 of Daluyong)

5) Letting go of all the things that bugged you before. 

6) Listening to Julie Andrew's rendition of "Favorite Things".

7) Finally getting my hands on the House of Hades

8) THOR II 

9) Rainy Sunday Mornings 

10) The Complicated Family. 

“People are just as happy as they make up their minds to be.”  - Abrahan Lincoln

Hurrahs

hur·rah  - n- "used to express joy or approval" 

Long weekend hurrahs are always the best, especially after weeks of endless torture and stress. Sadly, my weekend didn't turn out as fun as I had initially planned it to be. I wasn't able to attend any of the HOHOL sessions the complicated family planned.

I did enjoy my mellow fair share of Long Weekend Hurrahs. This weekend was not totally wasted.

1. Read the Cuckoo's Calling for pleasure. I wasn't able to finish the book, but its storyline is gripping. However, I'm more interested in the character development of Comoran Strike than in who the murderer actually is. Also, props for J.K. for not white-washing the characters!
2. I was able to better my Photoshopping skills! I'm not really that good in coloring, but I have already learned how to use the layer clipping mask feature; plus, I am already fairly good at maximizing the different shape tools available. Just a little more practice and a lot more polishing, and I should be good to go! 
3. I had a wardrobe revamp. Well, not exactly a total revamp, but I was able to trade in several old blouses for two new ones. Plus, I finally bought myself Keds; my purple converse is already at the verge of falling apart so my mom and I decided that I needed an alternate pair of footwear.
4. Camie Juan, my favorite blogger ever, followed me on Twitter! Check out her lovely blog when you have the time.
5. I started reading the Inferno for English class. I fell inlove with it instantly. If you look past the nightmares you'll be having when you read it in the wee hours of the morning, you can see the beauty in the vivid descriptions of each circle of hell; plus the incorporation of Greek Mythology and other famous figures/literature enraptured me in the story as well! 
6. Had (and is still currently having) a BONES marathon with my mom. 
7. Revamped Tuesdays with Ica. I finally found a nice new theme; I create a header which I'm proud of, and I came up with several new ideas for special segments in this blog. Watch out for them.

All in all, this weekend, though slightly counterproductive-- re-energized me. I just hope I can get all the homework done before twelve tonight, hihi. 

As of the moment:

My own version of the Sunday Currently blog post. I didn't have the patience or energy to wait for Sunday to arrive, so I decided to rehash the Sunday Currently and add some of my own! However, don't forget to check out the creator of Sunday Currently-- or Sidda. 

As of the moment I am:

• reading: The Cuckoo's Calling written by Robert Galbraith a.k.a. J.K. Rowling. I'm not going to compare this book to the Harry Potter series as these two books fall under two totally unrelated genres of literature.
• watching: Nothing at the moment. I was supposed to have a movie date with two of my closest friends but sadly it was postponed due to the spontaneous HOHOL of the complicated family + the inconvenient fever I had last night.
• writing: A short story.
• listening: To Icarus by Bastille! My music taste is very limited, so discovering an artist who's new and unique gives me a certain unsolicited thrill. <33
• wishing:  For a new camera or even better, a new phone. I know that the quality of a photo is not measured by the amount of money spent on the device taking it, however it would be nice to be able to take a photo without worrying if it's dark or pixelated.
• relishing: That post-exam feeling + the idea of a six-day long weekend! 

The Liebster Award

The Liebster Award

Despite my inactivity, a friend of mine whose blog is as awesome as Barney Stinson has nominated for the very prestigious Liebster Blog Award. I will be answering ten questions in the most brief and concise way possible (ergo, a little less wordy than my usual posts).

{Very very very important sidenote: If you have plans on reading this without checking out Rach's blog, then you might as well stop following tuesdays. Haha, kidding-- but seriously, go check out her blog.}

1) If you had the chance of becoming a fictional character who would you be and why? 

Hermione Granger

Needless to say, I think Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series would be my obvious choice. Besides the fact that she has the ability to cast spells and the fact that she's surrounded by several devilishly attractive boys, this girl has a lot of qualities that make her someone to look up to. 

Being a kick-ass, smart-ass and pretty heroine, she has remained a rolemodel among the majority of the Potterheads. She is a far cry from the regular damsel in distress, yet she still exhibits some qualities which most of the female population can definitely relate to (you can tell when she's PMSing in the Harry Potter series). Hermione Granger is definitely the girl who I'd love to be (or to be with, if that's what you want me to say)! 

2) If you had 1000 what would you spend it on? 

It never specified if it was a thousand pesos, so I'll go with rubies. If I had a thousand rubies, I'd probably trade it for cold hard cash and keep it in the bank. If I become too lazy to open a proper bank account, I'd probably splurge it on a large library to be installed in place of my room or a car which I'll need for college.

3) Describe a typical rainy day.

I'm going to be totally honest. I usually spend the rest of the day chanting the words "SUS-PEN-DED" over and over again until the eardrums of my mom bleed. While I'm doing that, however, I usually catch up on homework, write something on my blog or read a good book.

4) What is the one song that never fails to make your day and why? 

It's Time

It's Time by Imagine Dragons is definitely my "feel-good, slightly YOLO though I don't really believe in YOLO" song.
It's so catchy and upbeat. I first heard it while watching the Perks of Being a Wallflower trailer. However, I only truly appreciated its beauty when I downloaded Night Visions. Nowadays, though, I feel quite sad whenever I hear the song. It reminds me that I'm so close to ending my Theresian days-- a bittersweet prospect for a stressed-out, true Blue/Gold Theresian like me.



5) Giraffes or Zebras? 

Giraffes

If you're a nerdfighter, then you should get why I chose giraffes. If not, then you should watch this video {x}.






6) Describe your favorite schoolyear.

So far, this is my favorite schoolyear. Though the workload is absolutely tiresome and tedious, everything else seems to be falling into place. I may not exuberate extreme happiness all the time, but this is the most comfortable I have ever been since I stepped into STC.

It's really sad though that this is my last year in this school, oh well.

7)  Favorite comfort food? 

Nutella and bananas! They're definitely a must-have for anyone who's having a super bad day. Also, though I'm not exactly a big fan of chips, the potato twirl in the STC cafeteria is actually a pretty good re-energinzer if you have a long day ahead of you (or a Trigonometry long quiz).

8) What is your playlist for a rainy day? 

• Round and Round, Imagine Dragons
• Demons, Imagine Dragons
• Way Back Into Love, Fish Leong and Hugh Grant
• Like We Used To, A Rocket to the Moon
• On My Own, Eponine (Les Miz OST)
• Out of My League, Stephen Speaks
• Not That Girl, Elphaba (Wicked OST)
• Music of the Night, Phantom (POTO OST) 
• Radioactive, Imagine Dragons

{cover art to follow}

9) What are you afraid of and why? 

Spiders will always be my greatest weakness. I can handle every other bug else except those creepy-crawlers. Other than the fact that I'm an Athena kid at heart, I had a very bad experience with a spider before. I was in the bathroom getting ready for a nice warm shower when I saw a spider as big as my hand on top of the heater. I ran out of the room crying because I was a milimeter away from its creepy eyes.

It was scary. :(

10) Your favorite line in a song. Why? 

"You don't have to hold your head up high."  (Round and Round, Imagine Dragons)

Round and Round

This line speaks to me because before I was (probably still am) a very proud and seemingly mataray person.  People told me that my inability to properly relate with teenagers my age would prove to be my downfall. That was in second year when I fancied myself the embodiedment of the gods from above.

Now, however, I learned how to make friends with people who I thought I would never have a proper conversation with. Of course there are still times when I feel very out of place and all, so I listen to this song to remind me of the relationships I could forge and create with a little bit of perserverance and a little less pride. 

NOMINATIONS:

I, Angelica de Leon of tuesdayswithIca, nominate two people for the Liebster Award.

• Kennisha Amon from kishandchips.
• Raf from fairearoot.

QUESTIONS:

1. Other than the Philippines, what country would you want to live in one day? Why?
2. What is your favorite chick flick or romcom? Why?
3. Describe your ideal partner for me. Relate him or her to a fictional character.
4. When you're feeling sawi, what song do you usually listen to? Why?
5. What/who is your OTP? 
6. Rollercoasters or Haunted Houses?
7. What is your dream university? 
8. Name three bands or singers that you have obssessed over. 
9. Give me one song lyric which you could relate to your life.
10. What is the craziest, most out of this world dream you have ever had? 

Enjoy. 

On the Diversity of My Opinions

As said in my previous post, there was a line in the blockbuster movie Troy that very much hit me like one of Zeus's lightning bolts: Even enemies can show respect.

Now, I may be one to talk, but I do believe everyone (including myself) deserves to feel safe when having an opinion on a certain issue-- regardless of how his or her opinion was formulated. All men come from different walks of life, and I don't think he or she needs to compromise their own opinions for the sake of religion or modernization.

I was brought up in a Catholic household. I have never engaged in pre-marital sex and I rarely experience the regular #HOHOL with friends. I'm not ashamed to tell people of my almost-Hermit lifestyle, but at the same time I don't impose this lifestyle on others.

I recognize that some people enjoy sex, partying and hanging out with friends. As said in my previous post (x), I have no problem with the sex life you have. Your choices are all on you, and unless you ask my on my personal opinion on your lifestyle, I will not put my nose in your business. Likewise, I also expect that some people respect the kind of lifestyle I have. My lifestyle, which is the concoction of values instilled by my family and values that I learned on my own, is something which I feel comfortable in.

I'd also like to clarify that because I am Catholic I do not automatically abhor other idealogies which prove to be "non-Catholic".

I have friends who are Atheists and Agnostics, and I do enjoy listening to their different standpoints on serious issues in our environment. I am well aware of the different religions and cultures outside the Christian community, and I do believe that the validity of an argument is not found in its roots. In example, the current viewpoint society has on rape is, in my humble opinion, a rather prejudiced and unfair one (the clothes get you raped blah blah blah), and yet I have heard it repeated several times by Catholic leaders. The fact that the idealogy is being supported by Catholic leaders does not make it automatically right in my ears.

You'd be surprised to know that I am a passionate supporter of the RH Law, the Divorce Bill and Same Sex Marriage-- ideas which I know are contradictory to the dogma of the Church.

So, to sum it all up, simply respect what I have to say. From time to time, I will bring up several ideas instilled in me by my Catholic upbringing. However, if you expect my blog to be an advocate for everything Catholic, then I should already warn you of your inevitable disappointment.

Just as right and wrong can't be classifed into black and white, opinions and idealogies are not classifed into "Catholic and Non-Catholic"-- what a boring world it would be if they were.

Thoughts on Sex

Earlier today I came across a blog post that tested the obsolete standards created by religious leaders, purists, old-fashioned grandparents and proud feminists. It revolved around the concept of chastity or celibacy—and how, in her opinion, these concepts were over exaggerated and prehistoric. You can see many variations of this post circulate through the different social networking sites (most especially on Tumblr), and of how people are finally accepting that the certain norms of society are out-dated.

I agree with her and with all those who fight for equality in a prejudiced society. Sex should not be the basis for the amount of dignity a person receives. I don’t care of the various physical activities you and your partner attempt to do within the four walls of your bedroom. To quote the great King Priam from the movie Troy, “Even enemies can show respect.”

Probably because I was brought up in a Catholic household, I firmly believe that sex is something sacred and wholesome. I’m not the type of girl who enjoys the one night stand lifestyle. I may not consider it a turn on, and I myself will most probably not engage in sex until I’m mature enough to understand its consequences—but then again who am I to dictate your sex life? If I have every right to remain chaste, then you have every right to have sex. 

Your worth is not measured by the number of tricks, or lack thereof, you can do in bed. 

Ohana

Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind, or forgotten.

The best things in life come in packages of fourteen, bundled with a "how-to-flood-a-WeChat" manual.

Inspite of the many incestuous innuendos and the constant bickering through social media, I do believe that I have found another nice group of friends to spend my recess, lunch and before-dinner-in-bed-me-time with. I may not know how I was able to give birth to four very beautiful ladies or how they managed to create nine pretty (and one handsome) kids, but I'm glad that it happened. I know I'll regret saying this when my Blackberry hangs from the innumerable number of notifications from our WeChat group haha, love you guys so much. 

I love my complicated family. I love my new Ohana.