Dear Yakult,

I've always been loyal to you but you abandoned me. You know that I'm your biggest fan and yet, you gave up. For years, I've been trying to explain why you seemed to underestimate yourself. Before, one bottle of you didn't satisfy me - nor two, nor three, nor ten. I had to drink gallons of your cultured milk to get enough. You were too addictive and popular and omnipresent. You used to be sold by men willing to walk under the hot sun with a bell in hand just to share your live-bacteria goodness to thirsty passers-by. If they'd buy one bottle, they'd want more.

When Chamyto arrived, you bowed. That fake bastard. That second-rate, trying-hard, copycat. That genie gained all credibility. How can those stupid kids drink and enjoy cultured milk with a beer-bellied genie that made me want to puke out all the live lactobacilli? Who knows, Chamyto could make their tummies beer bellies too.

Still, you withdrew under the curtains but the show wasn't over. You let that Chamyto genie take over as lead actor. You should've played Jafar at least. I even used to think that you could save the world from bad stomach. But instead, you hid at the corner of Mercury Drug's fridge, unseen by your supporters, your fans.

Yesterday, I drank you again. All the happy childhood memories that you brought came back like thunderbolts. You've always been so good, Yakult. So good.

Mad and in love with you,
Mimi

NO GO.

I know UNIV in Rome is a big opportunity lost, but hey, I'm looking at the other side. An additional 250 euros is needed for the Rome trip and I decided that it's too much to ask from my parents. $3000 is big enough and I would feel guilty asking that much but they would still let me go. But a plus of 250 euros is huge, man. Huge.

As compensation, I'm celebrating my 18th birthday on May. If I would go to Rome, no celebrations would be happening. Just plain cake eating and a badminton game in the street. With the decision made, I feel at ease and I'm not anymore worrying too much about the Rome trip and the big bucks. After all, the prospect of having fun with my sisters and Mom and Dad on my most important day of the year satisfies me quite.

If I'm spending that amount of money, it better be with my family. Instead of my going to Rome in Holy Week without them, I'm going to celebrate my birthday in another part of the world - with them.

I'm actually so excited. If I can fast-forward time, I'll shift it to May. #

The Right Course

One of the mysteries of college today is the perfect course for a student. I've always wondered if I'm really for Journalism or not. I know I can write but it's not enough. I read from a very old issue of Philippine Journalism Review magazine that if a journalist needs only three things, it would be: accuracy, accuracy, accuracy. That made me question myself, am I accurate? Sure I write creative non-fiction and fiction but when I do, I tweak it a little bit. It's not a sin though, it's how it works. In journalism, it's not only a sin, it's immorality.

Psychology. It's "pysch" for short, not "psycho." I've always enjoyed psychology since high school, not only because it's Natalie P's course in Harvard. Knowing how people behave and how their minds are - that's power! I love learning from psych classes and it made me understand people better, but according to Elsie, I can't be in psych 'cause I don't listen. Well, I can't see a close connection between psych and listening but yeah, listening is the art I haven't mastered.

Philosophy. It's beautiful how philosophers think and they are the most intelligent people of all. Learning their ideas is like knowing the natural order of the world. Philo challenges me and makes me think critically, and every subject should be like that. I can say I do well in philosophy but when it comes to its technicalities, I think I'm not smart enough.

Film. Ahh, that's what I like. Man, if only I had a choice, I would CHOOSE. I can't really say I'm talented in filmmaking, I don't know yet. But if you love something so much, it's so easy to excel in it. When I'm in MassComm library, my eyes always catch the film books around me. When I should focus on a Journ work, 25 Years of Oscar, Stanley Kubrick, and 500 Must-See Movies are calling out, "Grab me, Mimi. Read me!" So why can't I Film? Because it's not practical and I want to be a lawyer.

So you see, there's no perfect course, but there is a right track.

P.S. I knew it! I knew it! CRASH would win! I hate to be always right. *grins*