Hush

Obligatory April 1 Post

noreply@blogger.com (Riknata Prince) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 13:52:00 +0000

Because April is a special month to me and it's humiliating that almost every blog I'm following blogged on this day. By the way, Plurk, good job on your April Fool's day blog. 8D

April is..

a not-gender-specific name.
the fourth month of a year.
my birth month, along with Xander's.
APRIL FOOL'S DAY!!

The author promises a more lengthy and decent post come Saturday. Yes, people, there's a date. So, don't worry.

"Suddenly, ninjas appeared."

noreply@blogger.com (Riknata Prince) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 10:13:00 +0000

She was a senior citizen who disliked going to the grocery without her lucky green Marks & Spencer Limited Edition underwear. But one day, she found that her lucky underwear had been stolen. She didn't realize that it was accidentally misplaced by her ex-husband, Mr. Tuffles, and it was actually an imitation of someone else's old Barbie panties. One day after she tried to contact her ex-husband, his latest wife called her back and admitted to being a ninja and was assigned to finding her missing underwear within a month or just die trying.

Thus begins the legendary search for the amazing missing Marks & Spencer Limited Edition underwear. With the help of her new cat, Mrs. Tuffles, our daring protagonist went first to the scene of the crime. According to the collected information, she was no where newar the suspected place of misplacement when the cat sniffed something that was fishy. It lead her to the first floor where there was a tuna sandwich being prepared. The cat tried to snatch the sandwich, but was intercepted by another much larger cat. It snarled in disgust when the larger cat ate the sandwich, but Mrs. Tuffles reminded the other cat they still had more sandwiches and their mission was still ongoing.

Disgruntled, the cat went to look again for the most helpful evidence. The search got warmer when the trail led them to an important room: the nursery. Suddenly, ninjas appeared. They have kunais. They are after the infamous sandwich which actually has the secret ingredient needed in creating the perfect jutsu. They also needed a volunteer for finding more ingredients.

She agreed to help, in exchange for helping her find her underwear. They merely stared at her in disbelief, but they eventually agreed. They lent her Pakkun, but Mrs. Tuffles's allergic to dogs. She decided to learn the ninja way of getting to the lost temple of Anti-Allergy. After four months, she was still allergic to dogs, and her underwear was still missing.

Sadly, this story is the end.

=============================================

Copyright 2009. Fionachu & Riknata.

=============================================

I need a break.

noreply@blogger.com (Riknata Prince) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 12:21:00 +0000

Will you look at that, I'm actually updating again. Muse will be pleased, very very pleased.

I'm not using WoD this time, though. I feel like I owe this blog a decent post, and not just the scraps of a typing frenzy. Actually, with all the accumulated junk inside my head, I don't think WoD's a smart thing to use. I have A LOT to dump here.

And because of that, I'll be using bullets for the first time [I think. I'm not sure. Anyway.].

Something's wrong with PeeCee-chan. Or I think it's just Winamp. Everytime PeeCee-chan illegally shuts down, Winamp won't work the next time I open it. I have reinstalled that app four times this week already. Not that it affects my mp3 files, really. I always keep tabs on them, and so far so good. It's just a shame to lose all those play counts. If only mp3 files record play counts and not mp3 player-based only. In fact, Damaged by Shayne Ward was already 40-ish times played before Winamp crashed again. Sigh. Now they're all back to 0 again.
Speaking of Shayne Ward, I still can't get his song Damaged out of my head. Seriously. Ask the Plurk [and Twitter, I guess] people there how many times I played that song. I don't think it's an extreme case of LSS, though, because I don't hear it playing in my head when I'm not sitting in front of my computer, my Winamp playing. Really, I don't. I don't suddenly sing that thing out loud in random places. Only when my playlist's playing. I don't know. And I don't think this will be resolved soon because I'm not bothered about it. Just stating facts.
I have serious issues with procrastination. Like this blog, for instance. I procrastinate on blogging, for pete's sake. And I just realized yesterday that the last day of classes for the second sem is just around the corner, literally. I even remember saying, "Oh my god, I need to change my life now."

It didn't really help matters that my classmate, Jen, replied with: "I told myself the same thing last sem."

"Did it work?"

"I changed. For the worse."
I can no longer join the proud proclamations of people saying fanfiction is their antidrug. It's my high. Seriously. I mean, my tagline should be like "Why take drugs when you have fanfiction? Better than drug-induced hallucinations, you know." Or something like that.
Random note: my Twitterfox's logo is currently red. Should I be worried?
I'm reviving my love for Hidden Objects games. Yey me. I just finished Hidden Expedition: Titanic and HE: Everest within two weeks [note: aforementioned two weeks were hell weeks]. Titanic was cool, and it will always have a special place in my gamer's heart being the first ever hidden object game I played. Everest was more challenging, though, and weirder. I didn't know Everest also gained popularity in the alien fanatic mainstream. I mean, there were alien-ish objects popping up on the scenes by the time I got to the middle. And the last one? Hooooyeaah. I was like "Wait, what? Huh?" for three minutes before realizing I need to solve the puzzle, too. Also, most of the time I was "I'm currently in Africa. What's the game title again? Everest? What am I doing here in Africa?"

I tried HE: Amazon before but dropped it right after the first trial. For one thing, it's sooo slow on my computer, and that's a major turn off. Also, there was something in the game plot that made me lose interest. I just forgot what. So far no new releases for the HE series, so I opted to try other Bigfish games.

By the way, I really really like Bigfish.

Yesterday, I downloaded Mystery Case Files: Madame Fate. Another Bigfish baby that caught my attention for some unknown reasons [we'll get to that later]. Game was loading pretty fast, but as soon as I got to see the first scene, I was like jkdsalkdjjsaixocnjsduiwoefsdfjlksdjcm,nvmncvuoieI'vealreadyplayedthisdamnthing.

Yes, muttering under my breath with profanities my mother should never hear me speak. That was then I realized why the game title caught my eye. I've played that damn thing before and it was the reason why my eyes actually got so tired I have to rest for a whole day without doing anything except stare at green sceneries. The game play was so sadistic. You could find five goddamn objects in a single corner if you look very very close enough [as in two-inches-from-the-screen close].

I never made it past a fourth of the plot. And I'm not regretting quitting that early, either. And I'll never play another MCF episode again.

The newest one I'm trying to solve is Undiscovered World - The Incan Sun, another Bigfish, but not that popular I think. I mean, I wouldn't have seen that one if I haven't browsed the Bigfish website. Found a copy somewhere, installed it, and now trying it out.

So far, the game looks promising. Easier than HE, though. But it runs faster! And the game gives generous hints.
Yey, I finished recovering my playlist. Current song count: 891, excluding the Christmas and Chipmunk Christmas songs. Just sharing.

There, I'm done, for now. I'll probably plu-post more tomorrow.

Also, hello to those who subscribed to my blog's feeds. 8D

On internet browsers.

noreply@blogger.com (Riknata Prince) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 13:23:00 +0000

After so many distractions, I've finally managed to blog. And no time limits this time, I'm having a heart attack as it is trying to stay within the grace period. My real alarm clock will ring after fifteen minutes anyway.

Also, strict KAMIKAZE mode people. Whatdaheck---

Also, I am once again balancing spontaneous typing and trying to maintain decent conversation. Multi-tasker is me, people, yeah.

Anyway, I'll probably do random reader a favor and continue where I left off (assuming I do have a reader, anyway).

PeeCee-kun is one hell of a computer unit. Really. It's running on Windows XP Professional SP3, and yet the CPU has an Ubuntu sticker on it. And lots of Post-It's, too. Don't worry, I never let a Post-It remain sticking on the CPU's surface for more than two days. That's part of the motivation of my To-Do lists: I never remove notes until I've complete done as specified within that note.

So, yeah. Expect lots of notes around the room come cramming periods (finals, mid-sems).

Firefox runs faster here, too. I've tried Safari 3 and Safari 4 Beta, Google Chrome (I don't know if they have versions), and Opera. No, I didn't bother comparing my Firefox performance against Internet Explorer, because that's already a given. Heck, you should see Safari's boast about the browser: 8 times faster than IE, 4 times faster than Firefox, and from what I generally see on Techblogs, 2-3 times faster than Google Chrome. What does that tell you? IE sucks, big time.

I can clearly remember why I decided to abandon IE and switch to Firefox: the tabbed browsing's too damn slow. I used to click the New Tab button several times before a new tab actually appeared. And, yeah, have I told you browsing's abnormally slow?

So, I've been using Firefox for almost a year now (wait, if I'm not mistaken, it HAS been a year since I started using Firefox). And it seems that PeeCee doesn't want anything else, either. Safari is, indeed, faster than Firefox here but it lacked the keyboard shortcuts I normally use. I think the only big time point there is the Mac GUI. I admit, I have an Apple app-GUI fetish. Heck, for two months, my Firefox looked like a Safari browser. But that's it. Well, yeah, it's fast, and it looks like Mac, but it's not really that convenient for me.

Chrome on the other hand, made me go "wtf". It claimed to be faster than Firefox, and is claimed to be by other trustworthy techie-bloggers. So, why oh why, is it damn slower than Firefox? Once again, I can only name two features that I gave two-thumbs up: the GUI, and the independent tabs system thingy (I don't know the technical term for that, and even if I do, I probably might not mention it here. For no reason at all. 8D).

I have a thing for fancy and/or minimalistic and/or futuristic interfaces. And Chrome has that. So, plus points. Also, for someone like me who tends to work with 20+ tabs open at the same time, the browser tends to lag or at worst, crash. Chrome somehow remedies that using the independent tab thingy (which I am going to call ITT for short). Should one, or several, of the tabs slow down, it won't affect the browser in general. I can browse other working tabs without any fuss.

But, yeah. It's slow, alright? So, boo.

567 words people, I'll stop now.

"Genki desu, PeeCee-chan?"

noreply@blogger.com (Riknata Prince) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 13:43:00 +0000

(I'm under EVIL grace period and 10-minute time goal. Let's see where I'll go from here.)

Well, I'm going to say this once again, with feelings: I CAN FEEL THE PRESSURE RIGHT NOW. And it's not just the MP.

March has officially set in, and I just realized that around 10 o'clock this morning by the way, and that only means the finals are getting nearer and nearer.

(I just realized I probably won't get very far: my mother keeps on talking to me and it's hard to keep track of what I'm typing when I'm trying to maintain a decent conversation without actually being rude.)

And it's not just the exams that are bothering me (but they DO bother me BIG TIME, for clarifications), but the major requirements as well. And it's always, ALWAYS depressing when you get to talk to your high school batchmates about requirements and stuff.

One famous analogy:

their lecture = our introductory remarks
their exercises = our lecture examples
their projects = our take-home activities
their ___?____ = our projects

I seriously don't want to complete that. Because it's frustratingly stupid and unfair. And THEY get higher grades. T_T

Unfair.

And yes, I do have a basis for comparison, so shut it, Jareth.

Sucks to that my computer's acting up again. I probably should buy new components for him pretty soon. Wait, I already did, and it was worth P700 flat. Huh.

"PeeCee-chan, what's wrong with you? Genki desu?"

I mean, come on. He (Yes, a guy.) is perhaps the sole unit that defied the common opinion regarding the three major internet browsers today. So far, here's my computer's feedback:

Firefox works really well and ----------

OH LOOK, 10 MINUTES IS OVER: Overall word count: 266, excluding this line.

Procrastination, me, and some others.

noreply@blogger.com (Riknata Prince) — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 09:14:00 +0000

I'm under strict grace period here.

Huh. Well, so much for the daily typing exercise. I'm seriously abusing my body these days: no exercise (neither walking nor the weekly-increasing number of jogging laps count), no sleep (for real), strained eyesight (as if my eyes need any more damaging). It's amazing I have not dropped dead, yet. Hopefully we won't have to come to that point. Still, it's never good to test one's limits.

Speaking of limits, random fact. Our Sociology teacher said that the average mind can only maintain 7 hours of pure concentration every day.

Pity the admin who assigned us the ebil Thursday wasn't aware of that fact. Seriously. 8 hours of nonstop discussions, labs, and more nose-bleeding discussions? The hell. Also, someone I know once said that UP has this unique ability to turn your favorite class into torture chamber*.

Technically, my favorite subject is English, and up to the present, that's hasn't happened to me. Then again, I love my course (BS Computer Science), too. And I will willingly stab anyone in the front who will say this course is a damn breeze. Because IT. IS. NOT.

Side note remark: our COMM2 professor said to the Americans (or British, not sure), the word "shall" is considered obsolete. They now use the general word "will".

So, will we dance? Yes, we will.

Anyway, back to the topic. Yes, I admit. I am in deep shit right now. Really frightening, if you ask me since this is only my first year. Hmm, I think I mentioned that in my previous post, or Plurk. Whatever.

Another thing: I have major issues with Procrastination.

Sure, our relationship is mutual and oddly satisfying, but that's the real deal.

Makes sense? No? Good. It's not supposed to. This is a Write or Die frenzy so anything I'm typing right now isn't supposed to make any sense.

Actually, this whole thing is just between me, my PC, and my blog. I don't know why you're reading this. Not that I mind, honestly, but... Oh well.

==========================
*I cannot recall what he exactly said. The phrase "torture chamber" came from me, so if you somehow were offended by that, sue me.

	354

12

lab.drwicked.com

Dump, and whatwhat.

noreply@blogger.com (Riknata Prince) — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 13:45:00 +0000

Let me explain things first.

So, my keyboard and mouse got busted last Monday so Mom and I went to SM Manila to buy new ones. I'm so thankful that the admin people created the concept of Cyberzone because all the computer stores there were able to expand their lots. Anyway, long story short, we bought decent replacements (at least, I hope they really are. I coughed up P700 for those gadgets).

The dilemna: the mouse I bought was highly sensitive, sleek and shiny, has a rotating wheel, AND it's uber-small. Notebook-type small. And my right hand is not used to it.

Maybe it's just my paranoid mind controlling my body but somehow, with a mouse that small it tends to strain the palm a lot.

Sooo, to exercise my palms, one of the clerks at Octagon suggested that I do typing exercises everyday to relax the joints. And that's what I'm doing right now.

Haha, I get to kill two birds with one stone.

Most likely, HOPEFULLY, my blog will be revived this way.

[Normally, this is enough exercise already, but I'm using Write or Die [amazing application, by the way, I highly recommend this] and I'm on a roll. 'Sides, it's only 200 words.]

With that, I'm rather ashamed to announced that I'm really ready to ditch that official 2009 Welcome post. Why? Because, seriously people, March is about to set in. It'll be completely irrelevant now, not to mention a waste of time, and utterly awkward to read AND write. I'll probably just stick to this daily typing exercise and see what my hands will produce.

Only 260+ words. Shame. Let's try to make this thing reach 500. It's the least I could do for my starved blog.

Life's been pretty groovy. Outside class, that is. I'm starting to appreciate those social network sites (particularly Multiply, Facebook, Plurk and Twitter). Hooha for Friendster, though. I don't think I'll be able to fully appreciate that one. It's too...gangly (is that the right term?)...for my taste. Though from what I hear from third-hand accounts, MySpace can sometimes be worse. Ugh.

In defense though, I only, TRULY use Plurk, Twitter and Facebook. I only use Multiply to access those protected accounts of my friends. Now though, I found Multiply to be an excellent publishing site for my memes. It's more fun there. :3

Oh, yeah, by the way. I have good news for you, bloggu! No more memes here! I'll only post really posts here, so no more senseless Q&As for you. I'll just dump those at my Multiply account.

420. That's fast.

Random thought, probably my last for this post: I'm in deep shit. Seriously. I think I need to reassess my strategies. It's kind of frustrating not to be able to understand those things I seriously need to pass this course, but wow. This is the first time I'm sitting in class and staring at board with nothing going on inside my brain. It's like my brain waves suddenly got blocked or something. I dunno, brain overload maybe, and system still hasnt' recovered lost data.\

505. You're good.

Over and out.

Write or Die dump.

noreply@blogger.com (Riknata Prince) — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 15:20:00 +0000

i'll probably post this raw on hush, just for the sake of an update. i need to refresh my mind (actually, i was supposed to do this mind dump five days ago but what the heck, procrastination is me).

actually, while i'm typing this, biochem 08 and comsci 08 are having a conference, duh peeps are having 09's first ever word war (i volunteered as referee. it's not fair if not: my mind's filled with math equations, tectonic plates, and sedimentary rocks, no fancy words.), my neighbors are having a party for some gaddamn pathetic reason (one of their classmates passed an exam "for the first time". ew. if i'm not mistaken they're college people already.). on any other occassion, i have no qualms about the noisy environment (aka i'm used to it) but my first school week wasn't exactly fine and dandy (more on this on my official first 09 post, wait for it) so...yeah...whatever.

=============================
A/N: Don't blame me if you acquired migraine, nosebleed, or whatever physical malady for reading this.

...i honestly fear what i'll eventually type here...

since this is just a mind dump and all that jazz, i'll try my subconscious best to avoid the topics i plan to include in my official 09 post, which include:

08 mistakes
09 hopes
08 thoughts
08 quirks
08 ...or 09...oh dear...i forgot...

it'll come back...eventually...

hey! don't spam swearwords, nan!! dsfdvcvcxxf...

oops. sorry.

anyway. where was i?

oh yeah, nothing. seriously, don't give a serious damn on this. i'm just ranting my brain off.

so, i'm cafeine-deprived, sleep-deprived, fanfiction-deprived (i can't find decent ones anymore! me thinks i've read all that fanfiction.net's gotta offer. *major sob*). only facebook (thanks to abby for convincing me to join, t'was actually fun) keeps me grounded. plurk doesn't cut it anymore. my timeline's filled so much plurks that make me think 'hey, why the hell can't i relate with the people here? oh, wait. it's because most of them aren't personal acquaintances in the first place. boo.'

what do you get in return? an insaner than usual rik. that's not a good thing mind you. a little insanity's good, but in large doses...

*off-topic alert*

i pity my blog. actually. it's the brunt of my sentiments, out-of-character moments, wangst, and everything a boyfriend couldn't, shouldn't and wouldn't handle (hi xander! i know you're reading this.XD). come to think of it, i should name blog1 as boyfriend1 and blog2 as boyfriendA. see. both are the first in their respective categories. so, no competition. lol. though, i must admit, bfA's probably more battered. i post war conferences there. *doh*

i miss my three-year-old ego. i can't daydream properly without her. it would take me about five minutes doing nothing to enter dreamland on my own. with my tyo e, it only took three seconds. why you ask? because she has vip passport. i only have a visiting visa.

i also miss my critic ego. he personally requested a month long vacation this january. apparently, i drove him nuts during the nanowrimo thingamajig. poor thing, though. he was dead beat. still, i miss him. wish he's having fun, wherever he is.

oh wait. i also miss my college ego. why? because he's the one that's supposed to be working, damnit! i'm in freakin' college. he's supposed to be doing the job, not me!! i'm just the manager!!
jkhhlkjczvmn,cmxviiwqewpoelaskdlsa.

*sigh* i'm really underpaid here.

Wrapping up 2008 (Meme Style)

noreply@blogger.com (Riknata Prince) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 15:03:00 +0000

What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
>> I spent P200+ for a single gun-shooting game. The name? House of the Dead series. It took me that amount of money to finish the story, alone. Oh, and the money's legal. My mom knows that I've spent that much on arcade stuff. Which reminds me, Cmae, how about another game next time? Let's see how many coins we have to use to finish the whole lot. Haha.

Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
>>I never make new year's resolutions. It's a waste of time. Why make promises you're not even sure you'll be able to keep.

Did anyone close to you give birth?
>>No.

Did anyone close to you die?
>>Fortunately, no.

What countries did you visit?
>>I have not even been out of the country since I was born. So, nyah.

What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
>>Straight 1s in my class cards. Seriously.

What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
>>No date in particular. I've never been one to remember dates. Heck, I've attended too many History classes for my own good.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
>>Nada. I'm a major epic PHAIL.

What was your biggest failure?
>>See above answer.

Did you suffer illness or injury?
>>I'm allergic to morning dust. Does that answer your question?

What was the best thing you bought?
>>Nothing. My target product is still unfortunately unreachable. (For more info, dig up my Wishlist post. It's there...somewhere.)

>>Whose behavior merited celebration?
>>O.o What?

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
>>'Tis a private topic and should only be discussed with those concerned.

Where did most of your money go?
>>School: books, notebooks, ballpens, pad papers, blue books, modules, you get the idea.

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
>>Departmental exams. Oh wait, perhaps "excited" is not the right term. More like "anxious" really, but hey, at least in terms of pulse rate they're similar.

What song will always remind you of 2008?
-NA-

Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier, thank heavens.
ii. thinner or fatter? Throughout this year, I've been thin. I gained a few pounds only this Christmas break (and up to now I can't decide whether I should be thankful with this. I miss my former physique.)
iii. richer or poorer? Boo.

What do you wish you'd done more of?
>>Studied more.

What do you wish you'd done less of?
>>Procrastinated less.

How will you be spending Christmas?
>>(Question should be in past tense.) Do projects. Procrastinate. Photoshop. Procrastinate. Sleep.

Did you fall in love in 2008?
>>I'm always in love. *grins*

How many one-night stands?
>>Don't do that. Only ninjas are licensed for one night stands.

What was your favorite TV program?
>>For this year? Criminal Minds and Dirty Sexy Money.

Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
>>I don't hold grudges.

What was the best book you read?
>>For this year? C Books by Deital and Calc by Leithold. Seriously! You'll learn a lot with this books!!

What was your greatest musical discovery?
>>What?

What did you want and got?
>>I wanted a laptop and I didn't get it.

What was your favorite film of this year?
>>I've only watched one movie this year and it's Desperadas 2, so I really don't have a basis for comparison.

What did you do on your birthday?
>>I ate cake, ice cream and went to Mass.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
>>A handy dandy laptop. Wait, scratch that adjectival phrase. Replace it with "powerhouse".

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
>>Loose shirts and an occassional touch of eccentricity.

What kept you sane?
>>Writing, blogging, filling up old notebooks with random thoughts and doodles, and Google Reader.

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
>>Johnny Depp.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
>>American election. Seriously, it's like the only American politic news that made it big time. (Recession not included since it mostly concerned economists, big time monopolist, and bankers.)

Who did you miss?
>>My three-year-old self.

Who was the best new person you met?
>>Block 12. It's one of the best karambola crowd I've ever had the luck of being part of.

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
>>Procrastination...saving the world of its problems...tomorrow.

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
>>Er..."When I grow up" *lol, imagination PHAIL*

Blog Dump #5: Elementary Nostalgia Meme

noreply@blogger.com (Riknata Prince) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 13:32:00 +0000

Can you name 13 of ur classmates in ELEMENTARY that u can think of right off the top of your head. Don't read the questions underneath until you've written the names of all 13 people. This is a lot funnier if you actually randomly list the names first. No Cheating!

(Dear kami, txt lingo is a pain to read when it's not on a cellphone screen.)

1. Nicole Santiago
2. Monica Sagad
3. Sherwin ___(?)___
4. Geraldine ___(?)___
5. Kimberly __(?)___
6. Arissa Eusebio
7. Alexa delos Santos
8. Danica Panelo
9. Izell Madera
10. Lou Arteche
11. Cymbelin Abariso
12. Arianne Mendoza
13. Josephine Guevarra

How did you meet 10?
Classmate from Grade 5 to 6.

What would you do/what would happen if you had never met 1?
What (or who, in this case) I don't know won't kill me.

What would you do if 6 and 2 date?
Er, shocked, I suppose. It's not everyday I get to know authentic homosexual relationships, not that I seriously mind.

Have you ever seen 4 cry?
Yes. If I'm not mistaken it was her bag that got mysteriously lost one school day only to reappear in the classroom the following day.

Do you think 10 is cute?
Last time I saw her, yeah.

What's 7's Favorite color?
I honestly don't know. We weren't best buds during elementary days.

What would you do if 5 confessed he/she loved you?
Woah, no chance at all. We're both waaaay out of each other's leagues. And I can't imagine her swinging that way.

Fact about 9:
She, 8, and 10 are best buds.

Who is 4 going out with?
I don't know. Last time I saw her, we were in Grade 4.

What is number 5 to you?
Former classmate.

Would you ever live with 13?
No.

Is 2 single?
I don't know.

Where does 7 live?
I don't know.

What do you think about 12?
Indifference. Honestly, can you harbor sentimental thoughts on someone you haven't seen since Grade 6 and is not even that buddy-buddy with in the first place?

What's the best thing about 8?
She's pretty easy to rile up. I spent a quarter of my Grade 5 and 6 lives doing that.

Who is 11 to you?
Former classmate.

Favorite Memory with 1?
Nil. We're not that close. Though it's pretty amusing that out of all the people I named, she was the one I got to be classmates with twice in highschool.

4chan defends fangirls.

noreply@blogger.com (Riknata Prince) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 04:20:00 +0000

(Despite 4chan's notoriety, it's still worth browsing for the lulz.)

Image Thread: \x\ Paranormal

"So I had this friggin flu on the weekend. I woke up during fever and always heard little children singing...not words or stuff, just like melodies. It was kinda soothing. I have no clue what the hell that was."

"I do believe that is called schizophrenia."

"Fever and other illnesses can make you hallucinate, provided they are serious enough.

No big deal."

"I got flu also, but no singing lolis. damnit."

(rofl)

Image Thread: /y/ Yaoi
(words of wisdom)

"If you hate yaoi, why are you here then? GO AWAY PLZ. FANGIRLS ARE STRONGER THAN U ANYWAYS."

(behold the awesome power of fangirls!!!)
=======================================
Edit:
Here's another from \x\.

"Project 906 is Project 906 in reverse."

"Wtf are you trying to say anon?! Damnit, don't scare us with that."

(epic fail alert)

Blog Dump #4: The Meme's Lying, DAMNIT!!

noreply@blogger.com (Riknata Prince) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 04:09:00 +0000

How old do you act?

[x] I always do my homework/work. //It didn't say anything about the quality XD.
[x] I actually enjoy intellectual conversations.
[ ] I think politics are exciting. //What a drag...
[ ] My parents and grand-parents have better things.
Total: 2

[x] I show up for school/work everyday unless I'm sick. //Heck, the condition is non-existent in my case.
[x] I always carry a pen in my pocket/purse.
[ ] I have never gotten a detention.
[x] I watch talk shows and point out the credibility of it all.
[x] I know credibility means without looking it up.
[x] I drink coffee at least once a week.
Total:5

[x] I know how to run the dish washer and/or do the dishes.
[x] I can count to ten in Spanish.
[x] When I say I'm going to do something, I do it. //Eventually. Procrastination is me.
[ ] I mow the lawn.
[ ] I can wash the car. //If only I have one to wash.
[x] I can make adults laugh...without being stupid. //Sarcasm is me.
[ ] I remember to water my plants. //Don't have one.
[x] I study when I have to. //Most of the time.
[x] I pay attention at school/work. //Most of the time.
[x] I remember to feed my pets. //And clean them, too.
[ ] I'm generally organized. //Organization is not me.
Total: 7

[x] I can spell "experience" without looking it up. //This is stupid.
[x] I clean up my own mess.
[x] The first thing I do when I wake up is get coffee. //Or tea. Not picky.
[x] I can go to the store without getting something I don't need. //Money is hard to come by nowadays. It's practically suicidal to waste them.
[x] I understand jokes the first time they are said.
[x] I listen to my elders. //Most of the time.
[x] I can type fast.
Total: 7 //Wow, perfect score!

[ ] My choice in clothing is acceptable in an office or something.
[ ] I have realized that the weather forecast changes every hour.
[x] I can look at someone hot without thinking of sex.
[x] I have realized that no one will take you seriously unless you are over the age of 25 and have a job.
[x] I can read a book and actually finish it.
[ ] People have said that I act older than I am.
Total: 3

Now, add up the x's!!

Result: 24
(What the heck, this thing's lying!!)

Blog Dump #3: Decent QnA.

noreply@blogger.com (Riknata Prince) — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 13:21:00 +0000

1. How has LJ ~~Blogger~~ blogging changed your life?
It proved me that not all insane people land themselves in mental hospitals. Most of them get connected with each other via blogging. Also, it proved me that insanity is no longer something to be ashamed of. *headdesk*

2. Do you have a Facebook or MySpace account? Why/not?
I remember signing up on Facebook once on a whim, but I immediately lost interest while trying to fill up all those profile questions and went on my merry little way. I suppose the admin must have deleted that one already to accomodate for the newbies. Admittedly, I can't even remember the email I used to register there.
MySpace, no. I haven't. MySpace is hosted by Microsoft (I think) and anything Microsoft-related is off-limits for me. Don't ask why.

3. Is there any particular song you listen to to jump-start your day?
No. I'm not a morning person in the first place. Caffeine or choco or milk does that for me.

4. Are you happy with your career? And if you don't have one or are not happy, what is your dream job?
I'm currently a student searching for random ways to earn legal/decent money, so no career yet. My dream job? Something in the line of my course obviously, and preferably, that something should also pay satisfyingly. Hey, it's a tough world by the time I graduate. I want to earn my keep.

5. Are you an introvert or extrovert?
Depends on what the situation calls, but I'm mostly introverted.

6. Do you believe in fate/destiny? Soulmates?
No, I control my own life. No.

7. Do you trust easily?
No. Besides, trust is a relative term.

8. The last song you listened to?
Every Heart by BoA (Inuyasha)

9. What never fails to make you smile?
Anything can make me smile; what kind of smile is a different matter altogether.

10. The last time you dressed fancy, what did you wear and why did you dress fancy?
If "fancy" meant gowns and flowing dresses and intricate hair styles, then that was on our Prom during third year (I intentionally skipped the Senior Prom). I wore a lilac dress gown whatever-I-forgot-the-exact-term. Why I dressed fancy? Well, duh, I'm not eccentric enough to wear PJs on a formal occassion.

11. Is being tagged fun?
Depends on your definition of tag. If you were referring to "Tag! You're it!" kind of tag, then not really. Especially when you're playing against a small crowd. If it's the "Tag n people to answer this meme." kind, then yes, especially when you're a blogger enthusiast as well. After all, a meme is still a post. It's (in my opinion) one of the substantial excuse of a blog post ever invented for those who occasionally run out of brain juices.

12. Where do you see yourself five years from now?
In a job. What kind of job? Well, the daydreamer Me believes it's at Google Company or Microsoft or Oracle at least, with a high-paying position and is currently making full use of the four-year worth of academic toil. Oh, and a part-time instructor, too.

The realistic Me is mum on the subject.

13. Does it annoy you when you keep seeing the same questions in surveys?
Yes, it is rather tiring to type the same answers over and over. Plus, I'm sure my readers are getting tired of encountering the same thing at every other post.

14. What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is?
Question null and void. Nobody tagged me. Just ganked this (as usual) from a random site.

15. Would you rather be intelligent but have the weight of the world on your shoulders or ignorant and happy?
I never did give a damn over the saying "Ignorance is bliss."

16. How many children do you want to have, if any?
Three at most.

17. What would you like to name your children, if any?
Future family thoughts are entertained, but are not top priority as of now. My mind doesn't bother with the details, yet.

18. If you fall in love with two people simultaneously, who would you pick?
*blank stare*

19. What's your worse habit?
I'm 10% compulsive, 10% procrastinator, 10% psycho, 10% sadistic. The remaining 60% is yet to be sufficiently described.

So...let your mind conjure the answer itself.

20. If you could be any age, what age would you wish to be?
During my lowest moments, I would always wish I were a ten-year-old again. Or somewhere near that age. It's the only time I threw a book at a classmate and not scolded for it.

Blog Dump #2: Surname meme

noreply@blogger.com (Riknata Prince) — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 06:40:00 +0000

Use the first letter of your last name to answer each of the following.

Featured letter: P

/*Folks, I'm being honest either way here. Check my blogger profile and you'll see that P is really the first letter of my "last" name. On the other hand, those who knew me personally knows that P is also the first letter of my real last name.

So, no suing, ayt?*/

1. Famous artist/band/musician:
Local: Parokya ni Edgar, Paraluman
Foreign: Paramore

2. Five-letter word:
Local: patak
Foreign: priest, prince, piano

3. US State: Pennsylvania
(Honestly, why do I have to get one of the states that's a pain to spell?)

4. Boy name: Pablo

5. Girl name: Paris

6. Occupation: Programmer

7. Something you wear: Prada Women's Black Jacket that's currently on sale
(actually, that's just wishful thinking since I can't even pay for a tenth of it's price, sale or otherwise. Here's the link if you're wondering why I'm fawning over it. http://www.stylesell.com/prada-womens-black-jacket-p-290.html)

8. Something found in a kitchen: Pepper

9. Reason for being late: Party-hangover
(not that I've tried that excuse before)

10. Celebrity: Pattinson, Robert
(Twilight mania's still rampant.)

11. Something you shout: PIZZA!!!

12. Body part: Pancreas.

Blog Dump #1: Another Song Meme/Poem Generator

noreply@blogger.com (Riknata Prince) — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 05:50:00 +0000

Put your mp3 player on shuffle...write down the first line of 20 songs as a poem. The line from the 21st song is the title. Have fun!

After putting my Winamp on random, these are the first 21 songs I got:
1. Lovestoned - Justin Timberlake
2. Hallelujah - John Cale
3. Too Little, Too Late - Jojo
4. Logos naki World - Yasushi Ishii*
5. Kokomo - Beach Boys
6. Anna ni Issho Datta no ni - See-Saw*
7. Shy Girl - Cascades
8. In Her Eyes - Josh Groban
9. Mad World - Gary Jules
10. Take a Chance on Me - ABBA
11. Welcome to my Romance - Yohei Izumi*
12. Too Much, Too Litte, Too Late - Johnny Mathis & Denice Williams
13. Jumpin' Jumpin - Destiny's Child
14. Kiss From A Rose - Seal
15. You Can't Take Me - Bryan Adams
16. Lay All Your Love On Me - ABBA
17. Baby, Don't You Break My Heart Slow - Vonda Shepard
18. Don't Cha - Pussycat Dolls
19. Take A Bow - Rihanna
20. When You Look Me in the Eyes - Jonas Brothers
21. [Title] Say My Name - Destiny's Child

Aaaand here's the generated poem:

"Say My Name"

She's freaky and she knows it
I've heard there was a secret chord
Come with me
Tell me cool vibration
Aruba, Jamaica oooh I wanna take ya
We were so close together, but the twilight has a different color now
(anna ni issho datta no ni yuugure wa mou chigau iro)
Shy girl, shy girl
She stares through my shadow
All around me are familiar faces
If you change your mind, I'm the first in line
In what manner did you love me?
(donna fuu ni boku ga suki de)
Guess it's over, call it a day
Ladies leave your man at home
There used to be a greying tower alone on the sea
Got to fight another fight - I gotta run another night
I wasn't jealous before we met
I liked the way you wanted me
I know you like me
How 'bout a round of applause, standing ovation
If the heart is always searching.

=====================
* I really didn't expect my Winamp to pick j-pop songs. So, to be fair and avoid making my "poem" a clash of languages, I took the English translation instead. Now, since obviously I can't determine if the translation's accurate, I enclosed the actual lines in parentheses.

It just so happened that Logos Naki World is actually sung in English.

n_n
====================
A/N: To make up for my long hiatus, I'll be dumping all those reserved posts I saved in Notepad. Obviously, my hands are too worked up and "dedicated" to blogging to actually forgo it. The only problem here is (surprisesurpise) time.

So, I officially declare this day as Blog-Dumping Day.

Song Meme of another Kind

noreply@blogger.com (Riknata Prince) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 07:18:00 +0000

Ganked from Ceres-chan this time.

=====================
How many songs: 549*

Sort by song title
-First Song: Five for Fighting - 100 Years
-Last Song: Chicago - You're the Inspiration

Sort by time
-Shortest Song: Alvin & the Chipmunks - Funky Town (0:27)
-Longest Song: Black Eyed Peas - Pump It (16:36)

/* NULL AND VOID. I don't bother with albums
Sort by album
-First Song:
-Last Song:
*/

Top 10 Most Played Songs:

1. Home Maade Kazoku - Nagareboshi
2. Britney Spears - Circus
3. Britney Spears - Gimme More
4. David Archuleta - Crush
5. 6cyclemind - Prinsesa
6. Evanescence - Call Me When You're

Sober
7. Westlife - World of Our Own
8. Flo Rida - In The Ayer
9. Britney Spears - Piece of Me
10. Shakira - Hips Don't Lie

First 5 songs that come up on Shuffle:

1. Rey Valera - Kung Tayo'y Magkakalayo
2. NSync - Drive Myself Crazy
3. Air Supply - Here I Am
4. David Bowie - As The World Falls Down
5. Beatles - I Want to Hold Your Hand

Search ....
"sex", how many songs come up?: 5
"love", how many songs come up?: 73
"you", how many songs come up?: 70
"death", how many songs come up? 5
"hate", how many songs come up? 1
"wish" how many songs come up? 0

==================
* Scope and Limitations:
Current playlist only. I'll be posting one for my whole song list eventually.

Realizations sucks. Well, not always, but they still sometimes do.

noreply@blogger.com (Riknata Prince) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 06:46:00 +0000

I've come to realize that my hair: will never ever look like that of the shampoo commercial models. Good thing I'm past the acceptance stage. I'm aiming for curls now. :D

I've come to realize that my heart: will never ever be whole; not when it's owned by a harem of men, fiction and non-fiction alike.

I've come to realize that my job: must either be at Google Company or Microsoft.

I've come to realize that when I'm driving: ...hang on, I don't drive yet. Oh well.

I've come to realize that I need: more sleeping time to recover those countless weeks of staring non-stop at the computer screen, praying fervently for her programs not to crash and ruin the whole OS.

I've come to realize that I've lost: several fragments of my sanity when I read Twilight. No, that's not a good thing, even in my terms. Twi permanently scarred my pet plot bunnies.

I've come to realize that I don't like it when: I'm talking to a hypocrite who can't even use a tad subtlety about it. I don't like it, too, when I'm talking to a complete nut-head.

I've come to realize that money: can't buy happiness. But it can buy me a handy-dandy laptop, which can definitely raise new levels of giddyness for my part.

I've come to realize that certain people: aren't cold-hearted bastards. They're just emotionally stunted. There's a difference.

I've come to realize that yesterday: I could have started my school work already, but I didn't merely because it's still Sunday.

I've come to realize that I'll always: be more blunt than majority of the population, and it's not always a good thing. *sigh*

I've come to realize that my mother: is the greatest blessing the High Heavens could have given me.

Before I went to sleep last night, I realized that: I really should just quit reading forum wars. Especially when said wars occurred in 4chan.

I've come to realize that when I woke up this morning: I'll be having another sneezing fit for waking up at such an ungodly hour (which is 8 am). I did.

I've come to realize that right now I am thinking: that perhaps this particular item is only included as a filler, since it asks nothing significant to the meme-r.

I've come to realize that my dad: probably doesn't know what I looked like now, since it's been four or five years since he last saw me.

I've come to realize that today: is rather uneventful. I can't wait for 26.

I've come to realize that tonight: will probably get interesting. Probably not.

I've come to realize that I really want: to move on with my life and get started with the real deal.

I've come to realize that the person who is most likely to repost this: is DHW. He ganked most of my other memes anyway.

I've come to realize that life: is what you make of it.

I've come to realize that my friends: are more or less and deranged as I am. (You can correct me if you wish. :D)

noreply@blogger.com (Riknata Prince) — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 06:48:00 +0000

TEN ARE YOU's

Single - Hn.
Happy - Relatively.
Bored - No.
White - No.
Italian - Pfft, I wish.
Intelligent - Relatively.
Honest - Depends.
Nice - No.
Irish - No.
Asian - Hell yeah.

TEN FACTS
Full Name - No telling.
Nicknames - Rik, Riknata, Nata, Nekorina, Inah, AK, Tac.
Birthplace - Manila.
Hair color - Black.
Natural hair style - Wavy.
Best friend - Position currently vacant.
Birthday - April 29.
Mood - Deranged.
Favorite color - Red.
One place you'd like to visit - Vatican City.

TEN THINGS ABOUT YOUR LOVE LIFE
(this should be interesting)
Ever been in love - Yes.
Believe in love at first sight - No.
Currently have a crush - Yes.
Ever been hurt emotionally - Hell yes.
Ever broken someone's heart - Yes.
Ever had your heart broken - Unfortunately.
Ever liked someone but never told them - Always.
Afraid of commitment - No.
Last person you hugged - Mia.
Last person you said "I love you" to - Xmae, she gave me a piece of paper.

TEN THIS OR THAT
Love or lust - Love.
Hard liquor or beer - Liquor.
Cats or dogs - Cats.
Few best friends of any regular friends - Few loyal allies.
Creamy or crunchy - Creamy.
Pencil or pen - Pen.
Wild night out or romantic night in - One after the other, order not strict.
Money or happiness - I was under the impression the world emphasizes the dual nature of both.
Night or day - Night.
IM or phone - IM.

TEN HAVE YOU EVER
Been caught sneaking out - No, been always legal.
Seen a polar bear - Real one, no.
Done something you regret - Yes.
Bungee jumped - YEAH!! Just recently!!
Eaten food that fell on the floor - Perhaps during my baby days.
Finished an entire jaw breaker - No.
Been caught naked - No.
Wanted an ex gf/bf back - No.
Cried because you lost a pet - Yes.
Wanted to disappear - Occassionally.

TEN PREFERENCES IN A PARTNER
Smile or eyes - Eyes.
Light or dark hair - Dark.
Shorter or taller - Taller.
Intelligence or attraction - Intelligence.
Hot topic or Hollister - wtf.
Funny or serious - Hybrid.
Older or younger - More mature.
Outgoing or quiet - Complementary with mine.
Sweet or bad - "Psychotic men are usually the most amorous lovers."

TEN HAVE YOU's
Ever performed in front of a large crowd - Yes.
Ever talked on the phone for longer than an hour - No.
Ever tried walking on your hands - No. Stand, yes.
Ever been to a rock concert - No.
Ever been on a cheerleading team - Have no plans on joining one.
Ever been on a dance team - Yes.
Ever been on a sports team - Yes.
Ever been in a drama play/production - Yes.
Ever owned a BMW, Mercedez Benz, Escalade, Hummer or Bently - Heck NO.
Ever been in a rap video - No.

NINE LASTS
(*sigh* Memes generally can't maintain established equilibrium.)
Phone call you made - Can't remember when, where, and with whom.
Person you hugged - Can't remember when, where, and with whom.
Person you hung out with - Earlier, Taft, Padre Faura corner, and with Joanna and Joanna
Time you worked - Just an hour earlier; I paused to dump my blog with an accumulated collection of memes.
Person you tackled - Xander. Pillow wrestling.
Last person you IM'd - Neil, Block 12.
Last person you texted - Mom.
Last person(s) you went to the movies with - Can't remember when, where, what movie, and with whome.
Last person/thing you missed - My sleeping pattern. It was savagely ruined by my academic schedule.

Another 4chan thread excerpt.

noreply@blogger.com (Riknata Prince) — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 04:08:00 +0000

Anon: Hi /w/ can we have a Naruto thread?
Rasen-Shuriken walls prefered
pic related, it's naruto doing the rasen-shuriken

Anon: omfg, just watched that episode and it's really cool

Anon: I know, that's why I'm looking for cool walls of it

Anon: f*ck yea...usually naruto is phail...now he is god

Anon: spoiler: hes gonna use it wrong and hurt that sh*t out of him.
owned.

Sage: sae goes in every field

Anon: you're dumb, he didn't use it wrong, it just hurt him as well when he used it

Anon: spoiler
THEY KILL DUMBLEDOR!!!!!!

Anon: Sasuke kills Itachi. Kakashi dies. Jiraiya dies. Tobi is Uchiha Madara. Naruto is the 4th Hokage's son. Sasuke attacks Konoha

Anon: this show is f*cking retarded. the main character now has a skill that looks like and is called shuriken yet he cant throw it

My Inner Demon. Oh, add "Cute" to that, too.

noreply@blogger.com (Riknata Prince) — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 07:48:00 +0000

Your Cute Monster Says Your Inner Demon is Melancholy

You are a well balanced person. You have all aspects of your life happily in order.

Whenever you have a choice in life, you try to choose the middle path.

You can be a bit moody at times.

People think you're cute because you are easy going. Your live and let live attitude is charming.

The Cute Monster Test

Farewell.

noreply@blogger.com (Riknata Prince) — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 10:16:00 +0000

Marky Cielo died today at the age of 20.

Random meme. Nothing special 'cept a useful typing exercise.

noreply@blogger.com (Riknata Prince) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 04:15:00 +0000

Another meme. I'll post this first before I do another "real" blog post.

cout<<endl;

Have you ever licked the back of a CD to try to get it to work?
No, but I have tried placing it in front of an electric fan in an attempt to remove the invisible dust.

What's the largest age difference between yourself and someone you've dated?
Next question.

Ever been in a car wreck?
No, but I have been through a speeding car accident.

Were you popular in high school?
First, define what you mean by "popular".

Have you ever been on a blind date?
Yes, and it creeped me out 'til the following week.

Are looks important?
To get a decent-paying job, yes. It comes after the talent. Sadly, employers are after the face value as well nowadays.

Do you have any friends that you've known for 10 years or more?
Nearing a ten-year anniversary, yes (4 more years to go, Neil. I'm expecting a grand anniversary party). Acquaintances, oh, yes. A lot of them. I still meet with my elementary batchmates.

By what age would you like to be married?
It MUST be after I'm financially stable, so hopefully around 23-25. I have no qualms about living a bachelor's life, though.

Does the number of people a person's slept with affect your view of them?
Haven't thought much about that, yet, but I'm positive it'll be a factor.

Have you ever made a mistake?
/*one of the stupidest question, yet*/ I'd like to see someone who answered "NO."

Are you a good tipper?
Yes. If the service is worth it, of course.

What's the most you have spent for a haircut?
Nil. I cut my own hair.

Have you ever had a crush on a teacher?
Yes.

Have you ever peed in public?
No.

Would you tell your parents if you were gay?
Assuming that I'm a guy (which I'm biologically not, in case you don't know yet), then yes. My mom will understand.

What would your last meal be before getting executed?
Ambrosia from Mt. Olympus.

Beatles or Stones?
Beatles.

Beer, wine, or hard liquor?
I don't do alcohol much but if I really have no choice, I'll opt for wine.

Do you have any phobias?
Cockroaches.

What are your plans for the future?
/*Read blog for details. I have posted several ones that talks about my plans. In fact, I'm about to make another one tonight.*/

Do you walk around the house naked?
No.

If you were an animal what would you be?
One of the feline family.

Hair color you like on someone you're dating?
Hair color is the least of my worries, just no dandruff please.

Would you rather be blind or deaf?
Deaf, though I fervently hope neither would happen to me.

Do you have any special talents?
Next question, please.

What do you do as soon as you walk in the house?
Open the computer.

Do you like horror or comedy?
I prefer both.

Are you missing someone?
Yes. He has a debt to settle.

If you weren't straight, what person of the same sex would you do?
I'm not going to bother with this one.

Where do you want to live when you're old?
It's either in the middle of a techie urban town, or at the beach.

Who is the person you count on the most?
Aside from myself (Hey, a girl's got to learn to be indepedent), my mother.

If you could date any celebrity past or present, who would it be?
My first choice would be Johnny Depp, but since he's older than me and he's already taken, then he's out of the picture. Second candidate is Ohno Satoshi, but again, we have an age-gap problem and perhaps a little communication gap problem, too. So, yeah, boo.

What did you dream last night?
It's weird and fuzzy and includes a giant chicken from outer space.

What is your favorite sport to watch?
None. I don't do sports much.

Favorite non-alcoholic drink?
Milk tea. Earl Grey is close second.

Have you ever been in love?
Yes.

Do you sing in the shower?
Yes.

Have you ever been arrested?
I really hope things wouldn't come down to that.

What is your favorite holiday?
April Fools Day. Not only does it mean I'll be having my birthday in less than three weeks, but it's the only day of the year me and my buddies can pull pranks without getting reprimanded.

Would you ever get plastic surgery?
Iff it's corrective surgery. But since corrective surgery is recommended when you landed yourself in a pretty bad accident, then no thanks. I hope I won't need one.

Have you ever caught a fish?
Yes, but I was traumatized at seeing it in the middle of our table nicely marinated and steaming hot. I wasn't able to eat or look at any fish for a week. I also swore not to fish ever again.

Where did you get this survey?
Ganked it from my Google Reader, literally speaking.

return 0;

100-item wishlist

noreply@blogger.com (Riknata Prince) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:23:00 +0000

Gank and copy these questions to your own LJ (or Multiply, or Blogger, or any other blog hosting sites).
Embolden the things you have done.
Italicize the things you wish you had done or would like to do.
Leave the things you don't have any plans in doing in plain type.

cout<<endl;

1. Started my own blog /*Seriously, will this be left un-emboldened?*/
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii /*My target is Europe then Japan.*/
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm
13. Bungee jumped
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables /*school project*/
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort /*I really wish we had snow in the Philippines*/
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a marathon /*WILL be doing this next year*/
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice /*Damn Europe-related questions*/
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run /*Don't have baseball here*/
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied /*I'll be damned if someone I personally know emboldened this*/
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michaelangelo's David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Been transported in an ambulance
43. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
44. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
45. Visited Africa
46. Walked on a beach by moonlight
47. Had your portrait painted by your mother
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkelling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets, or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favourite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican /*MY DREAM!!!*/
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a mobile phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book one day

Snippets of a Suffocating Heart

noreply@blogger.com (Riknata Prince) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 13:28:00 +0000

/*Because "broken" is reparable. Suffocation can only be relieved when the cause has been actually uplifted. A broken object can still be fixed, even if the cause is still physically present.*/

Forgive my seemingly pointless thoughts. I really have to let them out. I'll be as vague as I can to protect others's privacy.

=======================================

Is it so bad to belong? I always said I prefer to be the lone wolf but heck, I never said I wanted to be a hermit.

Is it so bad to want? I'm only human, no matter how cold and aloof and heartless I project myself to be. I grew up in a society. It's only normal for me to want a sense of home in my newest phase in life.

Is it so bad to be happy? Every time something good happens to me (they're rare, FYI), something will happen to neutralize the euphoria. I know there's a rule for Equal and Opposite Reactions but must the opposite really be devastating?

Every time I try, they cut me off with vindictiveness.

Every time I made an effort, it blows up in my face.

Every time I reach out, someone or something bites back.

Why?

Damnnit, tell me why.

It's all funny (yes, I'm laughing my ass off) how Life gets back at you: completely off the records. You do one thing and see how things a mile radius around you gets affected.

Wow.

Is that the so-called Cosmos Chain Reaction?

I'm being bitter, yes.

I'm always bitter.

Because life is so unfair. Screw Jareth for coining the phrase "basis for comparison".

*My* life is so unfair. I can almost feel the people up there laughing.

Probably because I'm intentionally staying true to my newest label.

"Bitchy drama queen-wannabe."

That's right. I'm being true to it. Mostly because I'm being damn aloof.

I know that all of you know that I know this is just another teenage hormone-driven thing. And I think I'm right. It is just another teenage hormone-driven thing. I'll probably laugh as much as you guys did by the time I'm 20 years old and this post's still existing. That's life: you do crazy things for every phase of your life. Let's just hope I don't get pregnant outside of marriage. That would suck big time.

You want to know what pushed the button? (I'm being thoroughly selfish, I know. I'm pretending to be considered when I actually am leaving you no choice in the matter.)

Someone deleted me from Plurk. Someone special.

/*And he's not Xander because obviously, DUH peeps don't like to tell the world that they're in fact closely connected with one another. So drop it.*/

And I can't reach out to him. Partly because he cut off connections with me and it's quite foolish to reach out to him via the internet where practically ANYBODY can see it.

Damn...here comes another day you dread seeing. I hate it. I bet I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.

It's creeping me out, in a way, how thoroughly affected I am. Proof is how lengthy and frequent my posts have become. That's one thing I pride myself as a writer. I use words to somewhat ease whatever's bothering me.

Still, words will never be enough.

Hmm, strange. Used effectively, words ARE MORE THAN ENOUGH to get the message across, then hurt some.

Yep, words hurt big time.

/*Signing out.*/

Words are not enough to show how troubled I am.

noreply@blogger.com (Riknata Prince) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 06:19:00 +0000

It's hard to work on a group project when there's no sense of "group unity" in the first place. Having been on either extreme sides on a group several times before, it's also similarly hard to point fingers.

It's amazing, really, how group dynamics are similar wherever you go, whatever project you're on, whoever you're working with. Oh wait, there are exceptions to that of course, but I'll get to that later.

Group dynamics. I hope the following will just be my observations. It would be too depressing if they are indeed the trend among other group activities.

In a group, there will always be the alpha, the leader, the dominant party. There are several ways as to how that entity assumed such a role; sometimes by age, seniority, ability, charisma, or even by default. Anyway, that's not significant. No matter what the circumstances are, there will always, ALWAYS be someone leading the pack. That "someone" may of course not be just a single unit. It may be several persons, too.

Now, there will also be the sub, the follower. They may choose to follow the alpha by will, or by rule. They have this sense of belonging to the group they're in, and so will follow the flow dictated by the leader. Or perhaps, they are bound by the group, and has no choice but to blend among the members.

Notice how I'm describing a group in the sense of an animal pack.

Human packs work similarly on the simplest term, but being humans whose minds are more complex, so are the dynamics.

Of all the group activities I've participated in, I have yet to join one who has diverted from the norm (in my point of view, that is).

In a group, there will always be someone who will lead. Sometimes they will take up the responsibility willingly, mainly because they like the project/task assigned to them and already has an idea as to how to manage the group. Sometimes though, they are there by default. No one wants to lead in the first place. Left in limbo, someone is bound to assume the role out of fear for the consequences (low grades, failing grades, angry teachers, hurt pride, etc).

The rest are followers.

In an animal pack where the tasks are dictated by instinct alone, every individual can work in sync with each other, perhaps because they share the same instincts (duh, they are a pack). In a human pack however, things are more complicated. The tasks appointed are not usually a matter of life and death (literally speaking). They are requirements by the institutions they currently belong in (school).

Left to their own devices, the following is usually observed (based on my observation).

It's hard to catch everybody's attention. The bigger the group, the harder it will be. Not everybody is interested and not everybody is willing to offer some input, thinking along the lines "Ah, someone will suggest anyway. I'll leave it to them." When majority's thinking about the same thing, we have a problem.

Compromise is a bitch, losers are bitter. If ever there comes a point where everybody has a say on matters, it's worse than migraine to come up with something that will satisfy every suggestion. Fact of life: you can't. Some ideas will turn out to be off-the-hook kind of ideas and will be rejected. So, the owners will feel bitter and be apathetic about the whole thing at the least, retaliate or rebel at worst.

Those without direct roles assigned will most likely stand by and watch. Is it me or are only those in-charge of the several sub-departments working actively? Am I wrong to think that people are only visible in the production process when they know they have something definite to work on and not just assigned to a rather broad task such as "props"?

It's sooo much easier to belong to statistics than to actually be a candidate. The encouraging part here is that with your vote, you helped make a difference. Seriously! You may never know if your vote actually helped others with their decisions which in turn helped reaching a group resolution. It's a chain reaction. You vote, so someone will vote the same thing, causing another one to vote as well. The depressing part is it's hard to move on with that kind of attitude. Think about it.

/*Here goes the bitter part of me brought upon the several instances of failed group activities*/

When they call you "leader" most of them actually meant "all-around-handyman-personnel". Now, that's just plain stupid, if not so escapist-thinking. True a leader must know every going-ons in his or her group but that doesn't mean he or she must do spoon-feeding. But most of the time, that's just it. The leader is left to tie up all loose ends, as in all of it. Being given the chance to lead groups before, I myself know how troublesome and stressing those moments are. A few have driven me up at wall, even.

So much for that.

I'm posting this to alleviate the constricting pain I feel in the light of the current circumstances.

And as an answer to a certain blockmate's blog post as well.

During Saturday's discussion, I participated there knowing full well there would be dire repercussions. I also knew that it was an act of rebellion. Or perhaps, retaliation would be an alternative term.

With that, I apologize to everyone who was aggravated, especially the original people taking charge of things. It was an act out of retaliation with the way things were going.

I do not plan to defend the other side, knowing someone else is better to do it. Still, I also do not plan on chickening out.

What I do hope, though, is for reconciliation and compromise. It would be a pity and a sorry loss on both blocks concerned if all civility and camaraderie would go poof! just because of this activity (DPSM week) which ironically was intended to strengthen the bonds between the two.

Reconciliation. Peace. Apologies. I'm willing to give up pride if it might help solve the ever rising tension. I'm sure the others share the same sentiments. We were all at fault, one way or another. Even I acknowledge my shortcomings. Again I apologize, especially to our blockhead who worked so hard to keep all things together.

Compromise. Albeit morbidly uplifting, voicing out your protests with only your allies as audience is nothing short of waste of breath. We will not reach any moot point by doing that.

/*Wow, another open forum or conference? Will that help? Baka lumala lang ang sitwasyon. Pero kung kaya, then go.*/

I end this (rather lengthy and perhaps shallow to some) post with full sincerity of my apologies and hope that everything will be settled soon.

We have just begun this journey, friends. Please, let it not start with animosity hiding just behind our backs. It won't be of benefit any time in the future.

Cheers.

(PS. Please, I wish to hear your sides. Comment on this.)