A Day in the Life of a (Struggling) Law Student

actually, that title is somewhat sarcastic. so far, i haven’t done anything truly summer-y this summer. not that i’m complaining. but then again…

i’m that kind of person na simple lang. di ko kailangan mag-outing para sumaya or mag-relax. tama na sa kin yung nakakapagpahinga ako kapag vacation time. yung tipong nananahimik lang sa isang tabi, nanonood ng mga DVDs, nag-bl-blog, nag-fr-friendster. natutulog, nag-m-magic sing. or nakakapagbasa ng isang inspirational book. kahit nasa house lang ako, i’m contented na. i don’t need to go to some exotic location. gastos lang yon. although, syempre, if it’s gonna be for free, why not, di ba? hehe

but so far, all i’ve been doing this summer are these:
1. Bar Ops - this is part & parcel of the position i ran for. actually, it’s the core job of an LSG VP. i’m blessed coz magagaling ang mga dept heads ko, they’re a pleasure to work with and the batch that we’re serving is generally mabait and hindi maarte. i thank God for the wisdom He’s giving me, could feel His guidance and grace, esp sa mga diskarte. so far everything’s on track naman. slight glitches sa printing coz last priority kami (but then again, nakikiusap lang kami & beggars can’t be choosers) kelangan na lang namin madagdagan ang pera para siguradong ayos ang lahat & for sure flexibility.

2. M2Cash - i’m working as a channel manager for this start up systems solutions company which has a joint venture with a British Company. komo start-up, medyo magulo at di pa stable. syempre challenging din ang trabaho coz you’re like pioneers in an industry. (can’t really expound on details coz confidential). my boss is really mabait, my co-worker is very driven and ok ka-trabaho. saan pa ba naman ako makakahanap ng trabaho na napapayagan akong mag-take ng internship leave, hindi ako iniistorbo pag finals week at sinswelduhan ako ng ok na amount? but then again…(i know bitin but itutuloy ko later, gotta get ready for a party i need to go to)

3. LSG work -

4. Portia stuff -

5. Pecabar internship - i got in! woohoo! dapat nung april 24 pa ang start but i had it deferred to may 2 kasi yun yung date na pumayag yung M2Cash. (itutuloy ko later coz there’s a party for pecabar interns in makati at 4. gotta cut this short & get ready coz it’s already 2:40).

enough of the introspective Q’s muna from my previous blog entry.. before i wrack my brain with those questions about life, i think i wanna live for the moment and enjoy today. after all, my birthday only comes once in a year and i’ll only be 27 once. so before i move on to the next goal or ask the next philosophical question, i will celebrate this day first. and to start the celebration, below is a rundown of 27 things that i thank the Lord for:

1. LIFE! - that i’m still breathing. i was born a couple of weeks short of the age of a full-term baby (premature). i was very sickly and had primary complex till i was 4. i was almost run over along commonwealth avenue when i was around 4 or 5? these are just some of my more dramatic brushes with death. there must have been a couple of others in the past 27 yrs. but i’m still awake and kicking, am i not? ergo, i truly believe, God has a wonderful plan for continuing to keep me alive. i love my life and i always try to make the most out of it.
2. ETERNAL LIFE! - aside from this temporal existence, i’m truly thankful that i don’t need to worry or concern myself with anxious thoughts as to whether or not i’ll go to heaven before i die. thanks to what how Jesus rose from the grave more than 2000 yrs ago on easter morning, i am assured of my salvation.
3. MY UPBRINGING - i had a weird one but i’m thankful for how my parents trained me to be wired the way that i am. i’m thankful for the values they have instilled…that they have ingrained love and fear of the Lord and a sense of purpose & vision in me. i wouldn’t be who i am if not for this.

4. MY EDUCATION - since the age of 3, i’ve been schooled with taxpayers’ money…iskolar ng bayan, ika nga. save for CCCC (in CRL) and MSI, which are practically inside UP coz both schools are within the UP Diliman & UPLB campuses respectively, i’ve been studying in UP all my life. i’m thankful for cheap, quality, and even prestigious education. .

5. MY FAMILY - my dad was too strict, my mom could tend to be too fanatical, my sister too grouchy…we have our occassional crazy tiffs and differences but i’m thankful because my family has always been one of the rocks i could depend on, especially during times when i seem to want to give up. they have always urged me to go on and to do my best in whatever i get myself into.

6. MY BOYFRIEND - so blessed that God brought mike and me together. the past 3 months have been an enjoyable learning and adjustment process for both of us. with God’s grace, the trials brought us closer to each other and to Him, instead of bringing us down. i really thank God for mike’s love. i really thank God for him. and i’m thankful for how we seem to complement each other in a lot of ways.
7. MY FRIENDS - those from my childhood (pre-LB days), elem yrs in LB, years in RHS, college days, gawad, unilever business week, P&G, IILS, law school (especially LCF friends & some blockmates), M2Cash, church (CAP, VCF, CRL), friends i met through my ex…ang dami nila! through them, i feel that i’m loved. especially yung best friends ko (you guys know who you are), para ko na silang kapatid. i really love ‘em and i’m thankful coz i know they love me back (assuming! haha)

8. MY GRANDPARENTS - there were times that i was at odds with them. syempre, just as nobody’s perfect, no grandparents are perfect. but i thank my grandparents for always helping provide for my needs. they have been instrumental to helping me achieve a lot of goals i have previously set.

9. MY AUNTS - they’re like my 2nd & 3rd moms (in no particular order). actually, i’m quite thankful that my auntie rory and auntie beth didn’t marry (selfish! haha!) kasi parang kami ni lee-ann yung anak nila

10. MY RELATIVES - save for my cousins, i’ve always been the baby of my relatives. i’m thankful for my favorite (grand) aunts and uncles (they’re too many to mention!), some of who are just a couple of years older than i am, who took care of me, helped feed me (literally) and acted as my baby sitters.

11. MY FAMILY FRIENDS - thanks to the friendships of my parents, meron akong extended family. para ko na rin silang relatives, sometimes they’re closer than relatives. i especially thank God for my tito raul & tita marie. they’re my dad’s bestfriends and they’re my surrogate parents. i also thank God for my tita amy. without her, i would have had a difficult time every reg season.

12. MY CHURCH(es) - i thank God for these people with whom i share the same faith. my spiritual family in CAP & CRL and my celgroup mates dati in VCF are my prayer warriors and i thank God for them.

13. LAW SCHOOL - i know i often complain about law school but the truth is, i am thankful for the privilege of being in the UP College of Law (naku, baka magalit sa kin si disini for referring to malcolm as “the UP College of Law”)

14. MY PART-TIME JOB - my cash cow! i thank God for this. kung wala ‘to, di ako makakabili ng techy toys ko.

15. MY STINT IN P&G - the training, the prestige, the monetary compensation, the burn-out..haha. it was one helluva experience to have spent the first 2.5 years of my professional life in perhaps the best multinational in the Philippines.

16. MY GADGETS - i am a tech-y person and i’ve always saved up for the gadgets that i want. they make my tasks easier to carry out. they’re a joy to play with. and they’re wonderful conversation starters. hehehe.

17. MY PEERS IN THE LSG - they seem to be proactive, hardworking people. and i am looking forward to a fulfilling year of service with them.

18. U.P. PORTIA SORORITY - my highschool and college friends have a hard time believing that i joined a sorority. hahaha. but there are a lot of reasons why i chose to be a portian…reasons too long to type in here. actually, i can’t see myself in any other sorority for that matter.

19. BAR OPS HEADS & VOLUNTEERS - mukha namang masisipag sila. and so far, so good. (except for a few hitches…sana ma-achieve namin ang ultimate goal namin: quality efficient service to the barristers)

20. UP JPIA - even though grad na ako, i still love this org. my life would’ve been different without my involvement in JPIA. the trying times toughened me. friendships were strengthened and tested in JPIA. and the EB experiences trained me for professional life and instilled a work ethic that i could be proud of.

21. MY DENTIST - kanina, when i visited my dentist for the first time in 3.5 years, i realized na more than 10 years na pala niya akong client and somehow, may relationship na rin na na-form. i used to see dr. mercado once a month for around 6 years. ang tagal ko rin kasing nag-braces eh!

22. MY PAST - no matter how painful some lessons were, no matter how scarred or traumatized i may have been by some events in my past, i’m thankful because time has healed the wounds. i may have not been able to get out of those situations unscathed, but those experiences have helped mold me into the hopefully tougher person i am today.

23. MY MAGIC SING! - ang galing-galing! sabi ko nga sa mom ko the other day, sayang, kung may magic sing na dati eh di ilang libong piso rin ang natipid ko sa mga minus one tapes na sinimulan kong i-collect since i was 10 and the VCDs i kept on buying before the magic sing fad came along. being the avid singer that i am, sulit ang magic sing sa akin (effective stress release!)

24. MUSIC - …has always been a part of my life. singing helps lighten up my mood whenever i’m down. i’m also thankful that i’m able to serve in church through singing in the choir. tsaka syempre, career. hahaha.

25. ALWAYS HAVING ENOUGH RESOURCES FOR THE THINGS THAT I NEED - it always amazes me how i always have enough for my food, for books, for food, for leisure, for shelter, for clothes. actually, i have more than enough at times that i could afford to treat a friend or two to an occassional merienda, lunch or dinner. kapag may kailangan gawin, there would be a friend/contact who’d help palagi. amazing…my needs are always provided for. i really thank God for this!

26. HOPE & FORGIVENESS - there is never a hopeless situation no matter how seemingly confusing or difficult an issue may seem. i have hope because God is always bigger than any problem i could ever have. knowing this, i could afford to come up with solutions. knowing that no sin is too big for Him to not forgive, i am filled with hope as well. hope that with His grace, i could be better…that i do not need to remain in the ruts i get myself into.

27. THE YEAR AHEAD! - it’s a new year for me and i’m thankful for 365 days of being 27 yrs old…365 days for new experiences, new goals and to be several steps closer to the ultimate objective (whatever that is)

ayan, 27 na. hindi pilit ‘tong list na ‘to ha! anyways, happy birthday to me!
p.s. btw, technically, as of now, i’m still 26 yrs old coz i was born at 10:15 pm so i didn’t really turn 27 at 12midnight

april 15, 2006
11:55 pm

in 5 minutes, it will be april 16. in 5 minutes, i will be turning 27. i can no longer deny that i am in already in my late 20’s. i can no longer make some flimsy excuse to act in a juvenile manner. and i can no longer afford to make aimless life-changing choices that will only lead me further away from the path i ought to take. but i could still afford to make some random thoughts or comments in this blog, and that’s what i will be doing now.

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on my way to San Pablo City to see my dentist (whom i haven’t visited in 3.5yrs…one can imagine the plaque that have accumulated…ok, i’ll stop, won’t gross you out anymore. haha), i got into some introspective thinking while driving. being the introspective person that i am, i was assessing the past 27 years of my life. at the risk of being schizo, i was asking myself some questions and answering them as well:
Q: so, what have i accomplished?
A: i don’t know, nothing substantial
Q: am i treading the path, the life direction that i ought to take?
A: i don’t know
Q: how would i know that i am in the right direction?
A: i’d know when i’m in the center of God’s will
Q: what are measures for me to know whether or not i’m in the center of God’s will?
A: if i’m successful
Q: how would i know if i’m successful?
A: if i achieve my goals
Q: but what if the goals i set for myself aren’t really the goals i ought to have? do i become a failure because of the wrong goals? and how would i know if the goals i’ve set are indeed the right ones?
A: aaaahhhh…i think too much

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i had dinner with my one of my bossom buds, kils in perhaps the only bar in LB that was open on black saturday. we were reminiscing about how quickly time flies. seems like yesterday when rodel, kils and i celebrated our joint 17th bday party in makiling botanical gardens. that was 10 years ago…right after our highschool graduation. now we’re 27. in 3 yrs time, we’ll be 30 yrs old. sheeeesh…scary. what if wala pa rin akong ma-accomplish by then?

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2 years ago, when kils and i met, i was also ranting about the same things…yun bang feeling na wala pa akong nagagawang substantial sa buhay ko. naku, does that mean na wala akong growth in the past two years? i really don’t know why i always feel that way. actually, it’s the reason why i have the compulsion to get into so many things. yet, after achieving those short-term goals, feeling ko naman, wala pa rin akong na-accomplish. is that a good thing or a bad thing? as of now, i can’t really tell.

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hmmm…i guess these answer the question i posed yesterday (yung: tama bang nasa law school ako?)

***You Should Get a JD (Juris Doctor)***

You’re logical, driven, and ruthless.
You’d make a mighty fine lawyer.

What Advanced Degree Should You Get?
http://www.blogthings.com/whatadvanceddegreeshouldyougetquiz/

***Your Career Type: Enterprising***

You are engertic, ambitious, and sociable.
Your talents lie in politics, leading people, and selling things or ideas.

You would make an excellent:

Auctioneer - Bank President - Camp Director
City Manager - Judge - Lawyer
Recreation Leader - Real Estate Agent - Sales Person
School Principal - Travel Agent - TV Newscaster

The worst career options for your are investigative careers, like mathematician or architect.

What’s Your Ideal Career?
http://www.blogthings.com/idealcareerquiz/

darn the logical intelligence!!! (question is, tama ba ‘to, should i really be in law school?)

***Your IQ Is 125***

Your Logical Intelligence is Below Average
Your Verbal Intelligence is Genius
Your Mathematical Intelligence is Genius
Your General Knowledge is Exceptional

A Quick and Dirty IQ Test
http://www.blogthings.com/quickanddirtyiqtest/

naku…na-addict na. hehehe

***Your Life Path Number is 1***

Your purpose in life is to lead others.

You have great drive and determination. Nothing is going to stand in your way.
You seek out challenges and the spotlight. You’ll take all the work - and all the glory.
Status and success are important to you. You demand the best from everyone and everything.

In love, you tend to take a protective role. You enjoy being the provider in relationships.

You expect others to be like you, and as a result, you are often disappointed.
A little selfish and vain, you always put yourself first.
Remember, everyone already knows you’re great - you don’t need to remind them!

What Is Your Life Path Number?
http://www.blogthings.com/whatisyourlifepathnumberquiz/

i took this test on blogthings and ang galing! sobrang sakto!

i suggest you go take some tests there too. the url is: http://www.blogthings.com/thefivevariablelovetest/outcome.php

***Your Five Variable Love Profile***

Propensity for Monogamy:

Your propensity for monogamy is high.
You find it easy to be devoted and loyal to one person.
And in return, you expect the same from who you love.
Any sign of straying, and you’ll end things.

Experience Level:

Your experience level is high.
You’ve loved, lost, and loved again.
You have had a wide range of love experiences.
And when the real thing comes along, you know it!

Dominance:

Your dominance is low.
This doesn’t mean you’re a doormat, just balanced.
You know a relationship is not about getting your way.
And you love to give your sweetie a lot of freedom.

Cynicism:

Your cynicism is medium.
You’d like to believe in true and everlasting love…
But you’ve definitely been burned enough to know better.
You’re still an optimist, but you also are a realist.

Independence:

Your independence is medium.
In relationships, you need both “me time” and “we time.”
You usually find it easy to be part of a couple.
But occasionally you start to feel a little smothered.

The Five Variable Love Test
http://www.blogthings.com/thefivevariablelovetest/

our pastor’s sermon this afternoon was about some misconceptions about prayer - when they take place. bottomline is, prayer should not be an obligation, instead it ought to be somethin as natural as water is to a fish. relating the message to everything that’s happening to my life right now, i know i really need to pray - and to ask the Lord for guidance, wisdom & discernment.

i know no problem is to big for God to not be able to solve it, no sin too dark for Him to not be able to forgive it. ..we just need to humble ourselves before Him. when we fall, we ought to stand up as fast as we could and seek Him anew. (but of course, this is no license to keep on sinning willfully at that). God is all-powerful & merciful…and these are just some of His mighty attributes, which ought to encourage us to fall on our knees in prayer.

no prayer goes unanswered, after all. sometimes the answers are not the ones we initially wanted or expected. but still, they are God’s answers to our prayers, all because He has a wonderful plan for us. because, all along, we may have wanted something that wasn’t really for us all along.

i need to pray for His will. for the courage to abide by it, whatever it entails. i want to pray for the people whom i love…may God soften their hearts and bring them, and me as well, closer to Him amidst whatever it is that they (we) may be going through.

i know this is pretty cryptic but i don’t think i could expound on the matter right now. in time, i may be able to blog about these things…who knows. for now, i’m just so glad it’s already summer (save for this one last requirement in credit)…