We made a pact 2 nights ago to exercise more frequently and strive to be more fit. He was working out every night after work and taking walks with his co-worker during lunch breaks when I first met him. He now has a belly from being cooped up in his desk all day and not exercising regularly. I, on the other hand, have never been physically active in my entire adult life prior to last year, when I discovered my love for walking (hence my elephant calves), our regular salsa lessons, and when I finally signed up at the women's fitness club beside my apartment. But as I had expected, I went to the gym less frequently after the initial novelty wore off.

This promise of exercising more regularly stemmed from our constant complaints of back pains and aching muscles. I am so unfit that I could not go up a flight of stairs without panting by the third floor. My backaches when I have my period have also escalated to the point that I cannot even bend over. In my sudden panic over my lack of flexibility, I bought myself a Pilates workout video and a yoga mat. 20 minutes later, I declared myself a disgrace to this method of exercise. If you had seen me attempting to mimic the trainor, you would have laughed yourself to death.

Hence, the pact. We shook hands on it, with spit on our hands (yep!), doing it old-school style. Yay for a healthier heart, flexibility, and high energy!

I can't believe that a quarter of the year has gone by already. I'm still trying to get used to typing (naks! Typing ha, not writing) 2008. Again, I feel like I didn't do anything special or memorable.

Let's see...
1. I went back to school. First year student AGAIN.
2. I took up Salsa Beginner Level 3, which I didn't really complete because I didn't show up to the last 2 of 6 classes. It wasn't as fun as when we did Level 1 and 2 at the ghetto gymnasiums =(
3. I started working at the dental office. I now understand why most receptionists are unpleasant.
4. I worked out religiously for the first 3 weeks in January, stopped, worked out again last Tuesday, and felt so sore after I could not even bend over. Until now.
5. I became a pseudo-rock star thanks to PS2 and Rock Band
6. I learned how to make Sex on the Beach, Egg Pie, and really good sinigang.
7. I got back to reading again (yay!)

Speaking of item#7, this is one feat that I consider to be an accomplishment. I used to LOOOOVE reading. I remember the time when I was about 8 or 9, and the highlight of my week would be Sunday, because Tita Pegs would take me and my cousins to the bookstore to get us new books. If we were only allowed to say, pick one or two, I would beg to stay longer so that I can sit on the floor on one corner and finish the book that I can't take home. By the time I was in high school I swore off "Sweet Valley", "The Babysitters' Club", and the like because I felt that I was ready for the big stuff, the novels. When book prices got ridiculously expensive, and the weekly trips to the bookstore were no longer, er, weekly, I scouted my Tita's collection and read whatever I could find. I didn't dare be picky. I just needed to have something to read. Visits to my cousins Tate and Ate Shine were also an excitement, as they had quite a collection. They would lend me their books, making me promise to take care of their plastic-covered babies.

I don't know when I stopped reading regularly. The lack of resources (i.e. PERA) might have been a major factor. And then college happened, and I was suddenly swamped in 6-page reading lists (for one class!), B-O-R-I-N-G texts, and enough readings in theology and philosophy for me to minor in Divinity Studies. Despite the heavy reading load throughout those four years, I had never felt more unintelligent and dull in my entire life. I was reduced to Plum Sykes, Sophie Kinsella and Meg Cabot. I couldn't even finish Harry Potter. Shameful I know.

I still don't think that I have the same amount of zeal that I had when I was in elementary and high school. But I'm starting to pick up the habit again. I'm in no position to be a literary elitist. Heck, I would devour a Paulo Coelho if it were handed to me. I'm getting to know authors again. It's hard. Meeting new people, getting acquainted with old friends. I don't think I'll ever reach the point of being considered well read. For now I'm just happy knowing that I have a renewed love for reading.

Here's one of my favorite commercials. So cute. Never fails to make me go "aww."
http://youtube.com/watch?v=QDNm4y7_2Xw

Putangina!!! 'Yan ang sayo!

Sensya na sa profanity. Wala kasing equivalent sa English vocabulary na lulutong pa kesa sa murang Pinoy.

This project gave me so much stress during the week that it was due that it clouded my head with so much negativity. I was fuming over my groupmates' lack of efforts to work on their assigned parts. The grammatical errors and mispelling could be overlooked, because those can be easily edited. But to hand me in something makes absolutely no sense and include parts that were obviously copied and pasted from an internet source is downright infuriating. As if students here are not spoonfed enough. Punyeta talaga. I ended up rewriting majority of the content.

I don't claim to be the sole person responsible for getting that mark. I know myself and my capabilities. If I were still in Ateneo, this would have been deemed as a mediocre paper handed in by a first year student. But Dorothy's not in Kansas anymore. Things here are waaaaaaay different. My tendency to procrastinate certainly did not put me in the deans' list back then. Let's just say that here, an A is more easily attainable.