And just like that… Bryologue turns 10 today!

An homage to the first ever post, still with the Mulberry Wexford messenger bag

Yes, this page is now 10 years old. I can’t believe it is a decade already. It seems only yesterday I was figuring out how to set-up WordPress.org and posted my first ever post here on June 1, 2012. Surprisingly, my Tumblr is still alive and turned 12 last April.

I can’t stress enough that, in the midst of the ever shortening lifespan of people, I still manage to maintain these pages. And to commemorate this day, I decided to recreate the first ever photo posted:

An interesting thing about the first photo:

  • the Marc Jacobs coin purse was, of course, already lost August of 2012;
  • the LV wallet already gave up on me (stashed somewhere);
  • the iPod Classic’s battery gave up on me (stashed somewhere);
  • the Blackberry’s battery gave up on me (stashed somewhere);
  • the camera is no longer working (that photo was taken with that same camera);
  • the Kindle got smashed on our last day on the field in Mindanao last 2013; and
  • the Dior pouch, Mulberry agenda, and, surprisingly, that small atomizer bottle are still alive.

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Tailor-made: the chop

The last haircut in the salon I had was before the year changed to 2013. From that time until last week, I just go to the barbershop to have the sides shaved again. Of course, the top part will eventually grow out extremely long that my hair just begins to have a life of its own. I had no plans of having it cut today, but as I started feeling uncomfortable, I had to do something.

Getting this mop-of-a-hair chopped

My hair looked like a field of grass blown by the wind

I think that I’m also beginning to take a leaf from my mother’s book. When she goes out, she makes sure that she’ll do A LOT of tasks in a single day to make getting out more fruitful. That was also what I did today. After getting a haircut, I went to the Marikina City Public Market to buy some fabric. I’ve been wanting to have two more pants made from the same tailor who did the two black pants I use for work. I wanted a pair of darker khaki pants (from the one I already have) and another pair or navy blue ones. I think I can use my other pair of shoes, other than the black 8-hole Doc Martens and Red Wing boots if I have these two pair of pants with me. I have no idea of particular fabric names, so I just wore a pair of khaki shorts made from the fabric I hoped to find.

An afternoon in Marikina City Public Market

Khaki and blue cotton twill at Php 190 a yard

In the section selling dry goods, I went to the second floor and approached right away the first stall selling fabric. I asked if they have a fabric in khaki, similar to the shorts I was wearing but they told me that they did not have oxford. So it was news to me that I was looking for an oxford fabric. They only have cotton twill so I left looking for this oxford fabric in another stall. I think most stalls were having their siesta because there was a long row of stalls with no people looking after their merchandise. Then at the far end, I approached another stall and asked for oxford fabric. The old lady responded they have none, so I asked if they have a fabric similar to the one I have, holding out the hem of my shorts. To my surprise, she loudly exclaimed “Eh cotton twill naman ‘to eh!” , so I mentioned that the other stall said otherwise. She then retorted “Ang boba nila kamo!”, which left be gobsmacked. O_O Anyway, I ended up buying a yard and quarter for both khaki and navy blue fabric and immediately left for the tailor.

Where the magic happens --- my favorite tailor in Marikina

The tailor, Mang Joel, getting the measurement of my other pair of black pants

Arriving at the tailor’s shop, he immediately recognized me and asked if I have my fabric with me. I got them out of the paper bag and I told him that he can pattern it after another pair of pants he made for me a year ago, which I also brought with me. I was told that I will be getting the two pairs next Sunday. I paid half of the total price and hoping that he’d nail the pants again. I only trust Mang Joel when it comes to my tailoring needs. I seldom buy from the mall, unless the fabric is exceptional, but for everyday needs, I just have them tailor-made. My legs are quite big and I’m not exactly tall so mall-distributed pants eventually end up being altered. The best thing about this, I spend less having them made than buying them in the mall. For example, the fabric I bought earlier costs Php 190/yard and I always need a yard and quarter for a pair of pants. So for Php 237.50 (fabric) and Php 400 fee for the tailor, I just shelled out Php 637.50. I highly doubt I can find the same price on the mall, which usually needs alteration of the length and that costs me around Php 100.

On another note, I just found out that Mon’s father has permitted Lot to pursue her studies in UPLB! I’m so delighted and I can only imagine how happy Mon and Lot were upon getting this confirmation. There’s no more need to fight our way through for reconsideration! Congratulations, Lot, for being a fellow Iskolar ng Bayan! Welcome to the University of the Philippines and I hope you’ll have a great time being an Iska!

And before I forget, tomorrow will be the first day of comprehensive examinations for the second semester takers! It seems only yesterday when I was also faced with same daunting task to finish graduate school. I’m sincerely hopeful that my classmates and friends taking the first part (of three) will have a calm mind and not panic with the time and pressure of answering correctly (not to mention, ballpens breaking down or hands shaking from hours of writing). I will be going to UP tomorrow to wait for them to finish and give some moral support, and hopefully those who listened to me and actually sought my advice will help others as well in the happy event that they pass. Pay it forward, guys. =) In bocca al lupo!

Meeting with classmates

UP Ayala Technohub

Very sunny Saturday, in fact, more than the usual blaze of the sun but I had to go to UP Ayala Technohub to meet some of my classmates in graduate school. The three will be taking their comprehensive examinations this February and I volunteered to help them with their review. =D

After all these years, I haven’t set foot in the Technohub until a few hours back, to think that it was extremely accessible from school. Anyway, I was able to talk to them and share my experience in taking and preparing for the examination. They were wondering why I was taking the time to help them out, but I just said that I was just paying it forward. I also got help from other people in preparing for the exam, particularly on what to expect so I was not totally in the dark when I took them. I was quite delighted that they have already started studying for the exams this early, because it took me just about five weeks to review for them. =/

I promised myself not to be like one of those classmates of ours who were not to keen to be helpful with something grueling such as these exams. They won’t be stripped off of their degrees if they were to be more explicit and less vague with others on what to expect. The examinees will still be the one sitting for the tests. Also, I had a funny feeling that they secretly wish others to fail — typical crab-mentality. There could be other acceptable reasons but I just can’t handle people who are like that. And as they put it in vernacular, “Saksak nila ‘yan sa baga nila“. Just kidding. LOL

IT’S OFFICIAL: I FINALLY HAVE MY MASTER’S DEGREE!

It was a very slow day when I suddenly received this email three hours ago:

Comprehensive Exam results!WHOA! I passed my comprehensive examinations and I am officially done with graduate school! I was shaking like crazy because I could not believe it. We were originally to personally claim the results but with several changes in the releasing date made everything so confusing. I was very eager to just know the results because I just wanted the worst part over. If I were to fail, I just wanted to mourn and get ready for the next schedule of exams. But, of course, I wanted to pass because it was really a difficult phase and I did not want to try it ever again.

I was more excited over the fact that I will finally be able to attend a graduation ceremony WITH my parents beside me. All my graduation rites (from grade school, high school and college), my parents were not able to attend any of them because they were working abroad. Honestly, part of the reason why I pursued graduate school was to finally have that chance to see them across the lawn/stage/venue, watching me turn the tassel from right to left. LOL

But it was not entirely a happy revelation. I similarly found out that my study partner did not pass the exams and I feel extremely bad about it. I know there’s nothing much we can do about the final results but we agreed to go over the topics together, in the event she starts reviewing again. =(

I'm ready to wear my Sablay again (pictured here next to a pile of school readings for compre exams last July) - UP Diliman

Anyway, I’m really thankful that I finally obtained my Master in International Studies! =D I promised to help other examiners if I were to pass on my first take, and I have already spoken to some of my classmates who are asking for help in reviewing for the next schedule of examinations. YEY!!!

Our visa for South Korea got approved!

Two weeks ago, I started preparing for the requirements of our visa application for South Korea, but slowly psyched myself out until last night — what if I get denied. O_O

I arrived in the office very eager to leave and immediately go to McKinley Hill.

I was very anxious because Raisa has still not replied whether she had already obtained my visa from the consular services. When she informed me that Mon was granted one last Monday, she was very quick to let me know.

My paranoia kicked in and I called her just to clear things up. Turned out, something was just wrong with the network and Mon’s cellphone even has no signal.

Chancery lobby - Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Philippines - McKinley Hill

Not so sure if taking of photos was allowed

We arrived in the embassy and went immediately by the lobby of Chancery, where we waited for Raisa. The receptionist was already waiting for us and handed out our passports back to us. My first action was to shake the passport for signs of that dreaded white slip/paper, then search for my visa inside.

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Back to my old haircut!

In preparation for my comprehensive examinations last August, I decided to cut my hair off and had a buzz cut. I had projected the possible stress that reviewing might cost me and I was right.

But since I’ve already finished with all three parts last August 23, I started growing my hair out but it was not easy. For more than 5 years, I’ve been more or less sporting the same shaved-sides look with because I tend to get breakouts when the hair grows longer than a centimeter.

Waiting for my turn - Ménage Salon Gateway Mall - Cubao

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NIRVANA!

When I was still in high school, we call the act of exiting the room on the last day of exams as NIRVANA, or achievement of the state of liberation associated with Indian religions.

I took the third and FINAL part of my comprehensive examinations for graduate school this morning concerning my cognate subjects. Frankly, I was already at the point of saturation last night when I was dilly-dallying instead of reviewing hard. It was the strange feeling of already knowing something but unsure of whether you truly knew it — if that even made sense.

Awaiting execution - Plaid shirt, black skinny pants, 8-hole Doc Martens with buckle and leather straps, Givenchy duffle luggage bag - Quezon City, Philippines

Awaiting execution: Plaid button-down shirt, black skinny pants, 8-hole Doc Martens with buckle and leather straps, Givenchy duffle bag

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Upcoming projects: leathercraft

Saddle stitch on leather

The impeccable and virtually indestructible saddle stitch on leather

(Photo from britishblades.com)

I’m so glad that tomorrow will be the third and final part of my comprehensive examinations! I have lots of things to do in mind and the prospect of finally carrying them out makes me a bit giddy due to excitement. One project I hope to do was dabbling on leathercraft!

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“YOU KNOW YOU CAN’T BE LAZY!” These books are now ‘On Shelf’!

Since I had gotten last week the list of required book readings for my International Studies comps two weeks from now, I waited for these two key textbooks to be returned. That abysmally delinquent very busy person was supposed to return both of these on July 2, 2012 but had the sense only after more than three weeks.I've been waiting for a long time! At last!

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