Tiyubibo 2011

So we had TIYUBIBO: ASMPH Annual Christmas Party

on our very last day. After an exaggerated day of stress and thinking, 

it was an awesome end to the year 

-- because everyone went all out to be extra happy for everybody else.

 

Everyone dressed up, and even if they hadn't had sleep for the past few days,

still got together to make out the most epic christmas party yet 

(even if Meralco + a bus accident threatened to give us a dark and warm venue for awhile).

DIVAX opened for DIVEX that night, you'll have to take my word for it 

when I say it was an epic performance. :)

 

Another thing that made it doubly fun was the music -- 90's babies signing to the tune of Spice Girls, Backstreet and 98 degrees. I love my indie and hiphop, but no one can take the 90s away from us. :)

And my first ASMPH family -- ultimEIGHT. :)

To the most amazing batch, keep being amazing! :)

Congratulations! especially to my beloved housie Pia Tecson and her partner Trisha Navarro,

and the rest of the core team and the entire batch led by our beloved Danica Pasia!

(myself included, under promotions, hence the barrage of tarps at the beginning of this post)

Truly was a beautiful night. :)

XOXO,

Joanie

Tiyubibo 2011 from Jeremy Lo on Vimeo.

Tiyubibo 2011 - An Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Christmas Party

Camera: Jeremy Lo and Rap Santos

Edit: Jeremy Lo

Music: Raise Your Glass by PINK (No copyright infringement intended)

To be Child-like

In case you haven’t noticed, from my posts and my casual signing-and-dancing-while-doing-normal-things, I absolutely adore the Christmas season. It’s that particular time of the year that my eyes turn glassy and I’m filled with all sorts of warm happy fuzzies in my tummy just because. You can blame the lights, the décor, the coca-cola, the songs, the niceness of strangers, the fireworks, the gifts, the food, the abundance of love and care, and the list goes on and on.

So before I start getting lost in my deep infatuation for the season, I wanted to share one of those serendipitous moments when you hear the right words at the right time – and coincidentally its about Christmas!

I randomly attended mass last Tuesday and the priest’s homily was everything I needed to hear. Let me try to share my understanding of it:

Christmas is all about waiting. We wait for the Savior. We wait for the birth of Jesus Christ, advent.

Life’s dominant theme is waiting.

When you hear that, it kind of depresses you. Does that mean we spend our whole lives in anticipation for the next great thing? Do we put everything else on hold because we are waiting for something we aren’t even truly sure is coming? What if we wait too long and it never comes? Or what if we get tired of waiting?

But before my mind got crazy with so many questions, the priest says 

“And thus we are reminded that we don’t just wait idly.” Whut?!  So what do we do while we wait?

The gospel that day told the story of God dividing the people: the wise and learned AND the childlike. We all strive to be the wise and learned, especially in this world of science and logic that I’ve chosen, and oftentimes we assume we already ARE. That's more often that not the problem, when we start to think we’ve figured it all out. The gospel’s story reminds us that God chose the people that were child-like.

We should all strive to be child-like. No, not ignorant or unaware of the realities of the world, on the contrary, it means to be open, constantly amazed and humbled. When the priest said this, I was like “woohooo, I’m as childish as anyone can get! I got this!” Apparently, he didn’t mean childish.

Open. Because we shouldn’t shut ourselves out to the experiences of the world. A child opens themselves up to the world to experience it fully – no discriminations, no judgments, no biases, they simply live life.

Constantly amazed. Child-like wonder allows us to see the beauty of anything and everything and thus remain passionate and zealous in our waiting. This means that we are able to maximize our experiences. In everything we do, we aim for the best (especially in our studies as med students).

Humble. As children, we are also made aware of our limitations and are thus humbled, as we recognize that our experiences are never fully maximized if not with other people and with some necessary life tools (hard work, determination and discipline for us med students).

If we live our lives according to those three foundations of being child-like we realize that the best way to wait and best way to show love, is to maximize our potential – to be the best that we can be, to live the best life we can live, and in so doing be worthy of God when He arrives.

For this particular time in my life, I find myself patiently waiting for something – as simple as passing the coming exam, as hopeful as the next semestral break, as corny as the start of an epic love story, as serious as the hint of growing up. While these aren’t exactly pressing concerns, the affirmation that patiently waiting (or CREATIVELY waiting as the priest put it) is not a waste of anybody’s time but the time of becoming the person I’m supposed to be when it comes felt nice.

Let’s just hope I will not be like the jews of the Lord’s time, who waited but didn't recognize Him when He came, but that’s a whole different issue altogether; for now, the waiting and the becoming.

Kikindat-kindat

 

Kikindat - kindat, kukurap -kurap Pinaglalaruan ng inyong mga mata.

 

This actually happened BEFORE the previous post, a random post-exam-monday-feel-happy break.

I had imagined a totally different Monday Night, but alas, 

the fates weren't with me for that (not yet perhaps? or not ever?). 

 

Nonetheless, after my pampering-alone-time, my GV friends came back for me since they decided 

it would be utterly depressing for me to spend our version of a weekend at home doing work.

And randomly went to Meralco Liwanag Park. :)

 

I was super excited for the train ride, but halfway through, the train stopped! It ran out of battery.

Just like that, no more train dreams. :(

BUT the manongs decided we deserved a full trip, so they pushed the train the rest of the way. :)

XOXO,

Joanie

Kumukutikutitap

 

Kumukutikutitap, Bumubusibusilap, Ganyan ang Indak ng mga Bumbilya.

 

My friends told me to get ready for a special night in PASAY, so I was racking my brains on how to juggle dance training, commuting, and an aching tummy on a school night. Somehow the day went amazingly well that I realized I didnt need to juggle anything, things fell into place and I found myself being "surprised" by my friends. There's a quotation mark there for a reason by the way, they didnt actually know how to get to Ayala Triangle so while while they were trying to surprise me, I was the one who gave the directions, so it was a surprise for everyone (even better!).

Meet my GV friends, Danica, Mimi and Chiki.

I have more awesometoodlesome GV friends, but they were my light buddies for the past two days.

(if you are thinking you are one of them, you are most probably right!)

Tis almost serendipitous our friendship, born somewhere between losing my pride in risque performances (let's go DIVAX!) and studying amidst unlimited coffee and cake.

Who knew I'd find myself and a little more ooomph strength in this group of karaoke-loving, wansapanatym-believers, quirky jologs-y group. Thank you for that.

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas."

There's always been a magic that comes with christmas for me,

it's the time of the year when I'm just happy.

Everyone is a little nicer, actions are a little sweeter, life is a little brighter.

It's that time of the year when you can look back at the year that was and smile 

- no matter how insanely difficult it was, because somehow it didn't break you - 

and you look forward to the year to come

- because you know after christmas you are ready for another adventure.

 

XOXO,

Joanie

Back to Reality

"Reality leaves a lot to the imagination."

- John Lennon

My last few days of sembreak 2011. Pumped up for YL6's second semester. :)

 

Who was the saddest to see me go back to Manila?! 

Dainey ofcourse (who is NOT at all photo-ready).

  

Mummy's trying to recreate our childhood christmas village.

 

What's left of my room -- imagine my surprise when I opened the door and I saw this?!

I hadn't realized, I've lived in Manila for 6 years now.

 

Bonding with Daddy by the pier in Ozamis City.

 

We sat down at a little side store and ate balot and drank coke -- what is father-daughter love?! :)

I was so surprised when I went into a restaurant's CR, only to find my cousin's (Christine Cueto) SOLD painting hanging on the wall -- here's to a very talented artist! :)

A new all-chocolates restaurant in Cebu --- yummmm.

That's death-by-chocolate = dark chocolate + bacardi 151. :)

 

POGS Convention. We just had to take a picture with the BIG BABY BOY. :)

Sister love will get me through everything.

Christmas is in the air -- well, in megamall.

I love it. :)

41 more days til Christmas! :)

I can't wait!

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

For now, gotta go study for Comprehensive Subject Exams!

XOXO,

Joanie