of extortions and of returning

I was held up by Ria Cirilo this day. She sold me 20 raffle tickets for the benefit of the Ordo Barristers. It was supposed to be 99 cents per piece. So, where’s my 10 cents?! To date, I already have 30 tickets. The first ten were sold to me by Me-Anne. Jewel’s planning on selling me some more. JEZZUS! Ang hirap ng maraming friends sa Ordo, lalo na kapag malapit na Bar Exams. Captain Logroño and I were joking that this was no longer a Confraternity work. It was a Mafia thing.

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And because of Joey’s insinuations and inducements, Grandis is asking me to be the lead character in our class presentation for the Law Night. Like duh! I may be from AB, but I am from the non-acting breed. Besides, may stage fright ako, unless otherwise inebriated. I will get my revenge on you Joey… HARHARHAR!

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The Dark Lord has returned after a week of being in a country not diplomatically recognized by most States… home of the characters of an over-hyped and over-dubbed TV series, who at one time made almost everybody sing in a foreign tongue; who at one time, inspired the latest hairstyles for guys; and who, at present, still lingers in posters of a popular soft drinks ad. Jokes are over, Joey.

This “Bestfriend” (use in the IRONIC sense) of ours really got the nerves! You think you could influence me already? NOT! Are we that close already? NOT! Are you a part of my circle? NOT! Maybe you’re still used to getting things your way. But not with me, you found your match.

But I have to admit, there is indeed a difference between “CHARACTER” and “REPUTATION”, so far, I’m warming up to the Character part just a little. But the “REPUTATION”, still, I can’t handle. The presumption is always that people are inherently good. Unless otherwise proven.

Why do I loathe this person so much before? The answer is simple.

I saw my ‘old self’ in him. The self that most people in my LM class hated. Hated ‘coz I’m the ‘breezy’ type. I was the cool guy. I was the duke of hazard. I was the epitome of yabang. But everything changed during the last months leading to college graduation. That, is another story.

I know that that part of me is still within, that’s why Voldemort and I had static shock when we first met. Him and me (sic) we’re not much different. But I’m no longer like that. I’m now just a regular guy, a wallflower, (but at the center of the wall indeed.)

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I found this sling bag at M+FG and I drooled over it instantaneously. But I couldn’t buy it at that time, ‘coz I only got a thousand bucks which I used to purchase Carol’s (and my) umbrella. A good remedy for compulsive buyers --- DO NOT BRING MONEY WHEN GOING TO THE MALL!

But I’m already pre-meditating on buying it. (Too bad I forgot to ask the price, ‘coz it was on the display window and doesn’t have a tag on it.)

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I’ve cancelled my order for the 212 from Morgan. It will take him an eternity to deliver it to me, since his Stewardess Girlfriend got ‘dislocated’ for an unknown period of time, and that he’s too busy sweating his bald head, especially now that the Bar exams are just around the corner. Plus, according to Lot, she kinda didn’t like the scent. She gave her boyfriend previously a Carolina Herrera 212 set. Apparently, she didn’t like the fumes. (Advice to ladies: SMELL FIRST BEFORE YOU BUY!) But when I tried it out one time, I liked the scent, though not that way I like the smell of my Armani, Dune and Swiss Army. And since I used her as a gauge, if not a lab mouse. I rescinded my offer to buy.

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I should be sleeping right now to get an early header for tomorrow. The books are screaming for attention: “READ ME! READ ME!” And in a schizophrenic manner… it sound like: “F*CK ME! F*CK ME!”

Aah Yes. The Life in Law School. You get the hang of it after two or three years. Your vision of the world changes. Everything that you do… from watching TV, movies, eating out, buying stuff, traveling… the Laws just pop up of your mind one way or another. That’s why Law schools should be annexed to a shrink’s office.

got my copy of Atty. Nilo Divina's Book signed yesterday. (see autograph below). next up... Justice Japar Dimaampao's Taxation...

I almost fell asleep yesterday during our Insurance class. damn! wala na nga kong mata, lalong nawala pa. it was soooo boring (or perhaps, it was because i wasn't the one reciting.) so i decided to have a quick smoke with jewel, then had some iced coffee before our evidence class. i've been joking with joey again about the 'friend' who is still M.I.A. Then sheer luck made me recite the Tsai vs. Court of Appeals case in Atty. Divina's class. My brain was so messed up 'coz of information overload. But anyways, once you pop, you can't stop. hahaha! Seems like the faculty are going down with the colds... Justice Bersamin's nose was watering like Niagara Falls, and so was with Atty. Divina. So, if the whole Faculty gets the flu or what not, we know the proximate cause thereof.

Gloria declared Monday as the Official non-working Holiday (August 29), instead of National Heroes' day which actually falls on the last Sunday of August every year. Thank God! I was kinda hoping that it would be moved (the holiday economics thingy) since i really need a break. Today is Sunday, so it's my official TV day... (ONE TREE HILL and CSI Marathon). Seems like my prior plan is reinstated... Starbucks Monday... I'll probably see our acquaintances from UP and Ateneo there again. I gotta finish the damn chapters and cases... and read some more and more. So much to do, so little time.

...Countdown till foundation day... I hope nobody messes up... and still, nobody's buying the jackets and t-shirts... uhm, can't say: "I TOLD YOU SO!" the design is somekinda cool... PEPSQUAD Look... but law students still prefer the formal look... something that could compete with the Medicine Jacket (which btw, is HOT! The Latin name of the college in silver, emblazoned on black). But no, we preferred to be the 'Yellow Jackets'... Cool, it's thomasian colours... but heck! the jacket feels like some GAP or Abercrombie Ski Gear. Kulang na lang bonnet, ear muffs and sun goggles... Oh well, c'est la vie.

Gotta go and get Carol a new umbrella. The one she lent me was lost (due to estafa!) haha! actually, i do not want to discuss it. the whole thing was disgusting and dishonorable. just to remind you people... CUIDADO! NEVER TRUST TOO MUCH! Even your own 'relatives' kuno...

who is BIG BROTHER?

first up, credit to GeeJ for the picture hereinabove of the Big Brother house. Allegedly, ABS-CBN's newest hype.

Now for the lambasting... and this ain't hipocrisy.

You know what 'we' think of this dumb show... another one of ABS-CBN's Media Overhype, just as much as it overhyped Meteor Garden et al... it is nothing more than consented, mass-scale, commercialized VOYEURISM. Well, whoever created this concept, kudos to you! you've tapped a huge resource and market. You know that people love to snoop around other people's lives given the chance, this is definitely intrinsically 'evil' (borrowing the words used by Prof. Rey Reyes). Doesn't appear apparently to be that bad... but in the final analysis... IT IS!. this is not-fiction. this is real to reel life. It should be banned for being contrary to public policy. (Well, uhm, i think so...)

But then again... lest there be more 'action' than usual... I'd probably watch it too (had i have the time) and let the voyeur in me enjoy a little, and recommend the show to the Honorable Justice Bersamin. Hahaha!

More blogs in the following days to come... and I'll probably discuss Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code... a.k.a ESTAFA! hahaha.

later...

the rage of the roadsters

and i'm back blogging again! this car you gotta check out... the new BMW z4 roadster... damn hot silver devil. really sexy... just looking at it gives me an orgasm... not! this well could have been Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW) Acktiengeschellshaft (or somethin to that effect) answer againts Mercedes Benz' immensely popular (but still rare) CLK and SLK series of convertible roadsters. worthy of a james bond film crashing, though it seems most of the time james bond uses a jaguar most of the time (the latest being the series X).. probably because of the brits and the germans are traditional enemies. still... they couldn't move on. hahaha! i can't wait to see this car in action... and to know who among the "whose' who" got one of these babies.

But still, never doubt that Aston Martin's Vanquish Zagato Roadster wouldn't give you the same chill factor. The blue exteriors and red interiors is fit for the player. more sporty compared to the z4. have you seen 'cradle to the grave' ? i think that's a vanquish... if not a blue porsche.

last but not the least... my all time favorite... the MB SLK. the convertible of all convertibles.... a demigod among cars... one of germany's finest. why? damnit... it's a Mercedes Benz... even my old 230D four door sedan still has the looks (not to mention the smooth transition every gear shift.)

To the Car God... just one... yet while your at it... give them all to me! hahaha!

back to basic black... and random thoughts

i've returned to the basic black, well, my previous template was still black... probably the right word is "minimalist"

it's 5am and i couldn't still sleep. too much coffee and i feel shitty all over. hahaha!

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just this after while on my way to school, after so much daydreaming, which is a habit of mine while traveling from malabon to sampaloc manila... i suddenly realized what one of my future son's name will be... "Jude Michael". Nickname would be... just 'Jude' or kung pinoy... JM. wonderin' what's it all about? Jude is for St. Jude. Michael is St. Michael. I'm a worshipper (well, the term should be 'devotee' since 'worshipper' is politically incorrect for catholics) of St. Jude, patron of the impossible and hopeless cases. I've seen how this guy works. And trust me... he's really good at it. Then Michael, aside from being one of the Princes of the Jewish, Islamic and Christian Angelic lore, the name itself conveys such a powerful meaning... "He who is like God"

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i've read the Half Blood Prince in one sitting. yes, law school trains your ass for marathon yet pleasurable reading sessions. we have good ass-eye coordination. hahaha! too bad Dumbledore's dead. but somehow... i agree with the commentaries from the spoilers (the site i got from larry) but it is mostly surmises and conjectures. (shut up lawyer...)

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kimi raikkonen won the first Instanbul Cup... the circuit was awesome. it's all skiddy-doodle, in fact, BMW Williams lost four rear tires. however, the Formula One Cup will probable go to Renault's Fernando Alonso due to aggregate scoring... so it means, that if Alonso makes a constant third place until the last race in China, he'd be the Number 1 Formula1 driver for 2005. Btw, Schumacher parked after 13 laps... the reason was, that's all he needs for aggregates... besides, he's retiring. hahaha! Gone are the glory days of Ferrari. It is the year of the Mclaren.

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surprisingly, i'm happy... for whatever reason there is. i'm already content and satisfied.

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The Bar exams are just around the corner... and the barristers are all shitty and gritty and bloody. Good Luck to us all... God Save the Republic!

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September 2, UST Law's 271th Foundation... and i have no intentions of dancing on stage again. Puhleassee! make it stop! no more! yeah, i know, it's fun. but hell, we're lawyers... not college kids.

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next time dudes...

Ok, instead of studying and drowning myself in law books in the interim, I must and is compelled to share my thoughts of the recent events in my life. In my domestic life, that is.

Everything seemed to be going smoothly for the past few weeks. I did my part, I did my best, but some things are not really within one's power, influence or control, much less that I could do. Seemed like I fought the Goliath-Hydra Hybrid, it keeps on growing new heads each time you cut one off or hit the forehead with a bullet. Politics. Influence. Money. It keeps the world moving. Sad to say, we lost ours as our patriarch slowly sinks into oblivion. New Politics. New Money. New Influence. Bigger, better. But so far, none of those we have now. Many of the who's who have gone to the other world. Especially our greatest weapon Atty. Victor Paez, my Lolo Etong, who definitely is one of those who inspired me, and an implied command came from him every time we saw each other, that I should continue on with the legal profession. God rest his kind soul. He was my grandfather's brother-in-law and best friend.

Though we are not having any major financial difficulty, (trust me, we have money), it's just the psychological effects that bother me. I have been living this lifestyle for the rest of my known life. Feels like one leg was paralyzed. This time, both were torn apart. For my part, I know I will survive this. I will live through it. I am entitled to everything demandable I can think of. But be that as it may, it is my grandparents whom I'm especially worried about. Most of their lives revolved around this lifestyle. It was simple, yes, but lucrative. It has been with us for the last century. We were gods among men (okay, this is an exaggeration), though what I really meant is, this is an institution. A pioneered worked. Passed on for four generations, including mine. You just cannot let go of something as precious as that. It felt like losing your identity.

They have been trying to resolve this one, but the other side simply cannot wait. Now everything just does not seem right. We on the other hand, are waiting for our side to move. But I am proud that in the meantime, we are enduring. There are more important things in this life aside from those things. Family is the most important thing. I wouldn't dare exchange it for anything else. I have to admit, and I must confess that the truism that faith and love strengthens family ties. For my part, I have seen more than my previous glimpse of what love is. I have known what real faith is. Blind is openness. Illogical is reasonable. And then there is karma. The one law that you can rely on when human law could no longer remedy your problems. There is also pride, honor and dignity. This, we treasure most above all else.

And just last Tuesday, this HR woman from San Miguel Corporation Polo, Valenzuela Office, called me up, stating categorically that I am scheduled for an examination on Friday. I was amused and offended at the same time. Thanks to my training and stoicism I did not say "HOW DARE YOU!"

Yes, you might think I am stupid, idiotic or moronic for passing this opportunity of a lifetime. Palay na ang lumalapit sa manok. Napakalaking palay. But I have my reasons.

First, it was presumptive of her that I WILL take the entrance exams. It was offending for someone my caliber. It was not an inquiring statement, it was declarative, if not imperative. So, umandar ang pagiging lawyer ko and I deposed her almost like crazy. I asked her from where did she get my name. From a list daw of graduates for the past two years. For what position was the exams for? Sales department. Now came my offense. First, I told her in my most inhibited tone that I did not pass any resume, neither did I submit any letter of intention to apply. Secondly, and most importantly, I'm already in my third year in law school and I expect to graduate two years from now. Good thing I held my tongue back from lashing that she should have done her research first. I wasn't trained by the Justices to do sales work. I did not spent my waking hours and sacrificed my sleeping hours just to become an out-bound agent. You have a term for that. UNDEREMPLOYED. If you asked me instead for a position in the legal department or HR (which I would have gladly replaced you), I would have considered.

Carol was amused and bewildered by what I did. But she knows that what I did was right. I didn't get this far just to slow down. There's no more turning back at this point.

Now, I would gladly ask you to badger, vex or tantalize me for passing upon such opportunity. Hahahaha! But I have my eyes set on the things that I really want in my life.

i won't write anything good anytime soon. for now, i'll be drowning myself in law school for respite.

law students day out

ok, i know i ain't supposed to blog for the next few days. but developments yesterday compel me to write this.

yesterday, ajay and i studied at starbucks west ave, the one beside saisaki. yes, it was almost jam-packed with thomasians. (august 8 is an official dominican holiday) comprised mostly of law and medicine students, and some undergraduates.

we made some new friends yesterday. The gentleman from UP Law School, and The Bitch from Ateneo Law School. Magsyota sila. Ang babae ay actually mabait naman pala. Yun nga lang, umandar ang superiority complex. Buti na lang at hindi siya inumbag ni Ajay. hahaha!

we found some common ground... LAURON. Who is Lauron?! The most INTERESTING PERSON you'll ever meet! We've learned some things which apparently constitutes 'chismack', but, i'd rather not say. The Kabbalah forbids it. So does karma.

So, whatever laughters and irritations the conversations between Ateneo Girl(na classmate dati ni lauron, UP Boy (na classmate din dati ni lauron) and the Thomasians (na sa awa ng Diyos, hindi ko na classmate si Lauron, subalit kaklase pa rin nung isa.), I'd keep it to myself... are yah interested to know?

I'd rather not say... basta, it's funny. It's controversial. But I'm bound by Article 19 of the Civil Code. Hahaha!

interregnum absence

SOLICITOR GENERAL (EX-FUTURO) ROMMEL BERNARDO WILL NOT BE POSTING ANY RELEVANT, MATERIAL OR COMPETENT BLOGS FROM THE DATE OF OFFICIAL PUBLICATION HEREOF UNTIL AUGUST 15 2005, IN ORDER TO GIVE WAY TO THE VOLUMINOUS SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED PHOTOCOPIES, PHILIPPINE REPORTS, BOOKS, CODES, DOCTRINES, DIGESTS, LECTURES, WHILE CONCURRENTLY AND SIMULTANEOUSLY INDULGING IN INNUMERABLE CUPS OF COFFEE, EXTRA JOSS, RED BULL, LIPOVITAN AND SOUPY SNAXX, AND WHILE PUFFING BOXES OF WINSTON LIGHTS AND MARLBORO MENTHOL.

PLEASE BEAR WITH THE AUTHOR HEREOF, LEST YOU BE PUNISHED FOR DIRECT CONTEMPT UNDER RULE 79, AND FOR GRAVE THREATS, MALICIOUS MISCHIEF, INSURRECTION, GRAVE SCANDAL AND ESTAFA UNDER THE REVISED PENAL CODE. THANK YOU.