Happy 420? That doesn’t make sense to me. I just found out what 420 meant. It’s smoke weed day. Crazy. I didn’t know that there could be such a day. I’m not celebrating it because in the Philippines it’s April 21st. I kid. Whether 420 or 08-25, I won’t celebrate it.

I’m taking summer school right now. My classes include Health Assessment and Fundamentals of Nursing (NCM100). And I’m at school from 7:30am-4:30pm on MWF and from 7:30am-10:30am on TTH. By taking these classes, I’ll be a regular 2nd year nursing student. I don’t know if that means much to anybody, but for me, I get to finish school faster.
So I started watching a movie; it’s actually a documentary by Michael Moore. It’s called “Capitalism: A Love Story”. I’m not done with it yet. In fact, I’m only about 30 minutes into the 2 hour documentary. I was talking to Mr. Garibaldi while watching the first 20 minutes, and I was so intensely drawn in by the intro that I had to pause for a good while just to ponder about it in awe. Go watch it for yourself.

I haven’t been up to much lately. Of course, school is the bulk of my life right now. This week is the last week of classes, and next week is finals. I’ve been busy with projects and last assignments for school. Thankfully it’s nothing I can not handle. I honestly can’t wait until this semester is over and I can have a short break before summer school starts.
So after finals, Milton aka. Jon Berry (I still don’t understand that facebook search thing you were talking about) plans on coming over to visit. So Alec and I will have to play tour guide for a few days. Where would you like to go?
Lorraine is also coming. Excited for that as well. Make sure you don’t touch my toys though. It’s good to see faces that I miss and haven’t seen in such a long time.

So Tuesday is my free day… at least it was this past semester. I go to school everyday except Tuesday and Sunday. What will I do today? Here’s my choices: get a fair advantage on my projects I have yet to finish (which I will probably do anyways), watch old Family Guy episodes, or go watch a movie. I also really want to get the new game Final Fantasy XIII. It might give me something to do. People talk about it like it’s cool or something. I want to find out for myself. I used to be into games and stuff. I used to come home a while back and can’t wait to start where I left off. Then there was a period of time where I didn’t have a game system. That was a good few years. Now I have a PS3 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. I prefer Borderlands over CODMW2 though. You guys should definitely check it out. But I’m not a crazy video game addict. A game is fun, but then after a while it gets old, and for me, that happens way too soon. I’m proficient in games though, when a challenge comes up, then I can stand my own, or if I go to a friends house, then I won’t be left out not knowing how to play. It’s just I don’t enjoy playing for hours and hours. Unless it’s a game that I actually like, and there’s a story. Then I’ll play until I finish the story, but after that, I could care less. I don’t know why I went on about playing video games, but I’d rather watch an educational show or something. Now that’s interesting, and you can really learn something.

As you guys may have noticed, I changed the headline of my blog to “when life gives you lemons, make calamansi juice”. (I also plan to change my dull, dichromatic page to something nice. I just need to re-install Photoshop and brush up on my HTML skills from Xanga.) Anyways, I previously had the header as just “Alaric Evan”. I purposely left it generic until I found the perfect quote or title to put on top.

I came up with two: “when life gives you lemons, make calamansi juice” or “All our words from loose using have lost their edge. ” by Ernest Hemingway. I wanted to chose Hemingway’s quote because I loved it, and find it so true. I wanted my blog to be the opposite of what he observed. I wanted my blog to be a sharpening stone that brings back power to the words I choose to express my thoughts, feelings and ideas. Right then, I knew that’s the quote I wanted to use.

Unfortunately, the quote did not fit in the space allotted for the header. So I had no choice but to put that quote on the line under my picture, and use my version of the popular lemon quote.

I first thought of the quote because I remembered the Powerthirst 2: Rocket Edition commercial posted on Youtube; particularly the scene where the guy’s in some deserted wilderness and the voice guy says “When your God gives you lemons…” Then it reminded me of the actual quote, and I decided to make a Filipino twist to it: use calamansi. Calamansi is the citrus fruit we have in the Philippines which commonly replaces lemons and limes to season various foods and make juices.

I found it funny at first, and I thought “hey, that would catch people’s attention”. But I wanted the header to represent my blog, and I didn’t want my blog to be funny; I wanted it to have meaning. I thought about it. It has plenty of meaning. It perfectly describes what this blog and my current situation in life is about.

Of course, many of you know that going to school in the Philippines was not my preferred choice. But I move on, and in fact, enjoy myself here. I also have problems, but at the end of the day, I choose to sleep on the cool side of the pillow. I don’t sit around and cry or complain about what’s on my plate, I deal with it. That’s what this blog is about. It talks about me in the  Philippines basically dealing with whatever life throws at me.

The original quote says “when life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade”. It suggests to “make the most of what you have” or “look on the bright side”. If you know me, then you know that I’m probably more optimistic and opportunistic than most people, and I don’t just merely look at the bright side. I go beyond that. I make something out of nothing: I make calamansi juice out of lemons.

Sorry I haven’t kept up with this blog. But I’m pretty sure I’m here to stay now. I just recently watched the movie “Julie & Julia” and was inspired to blog again. Until I did some research on both of the characters and found out that Julie Powell had an affair. But nonetheless, I am here to share my stuff with you guys.

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately. Pretty much about everything, including: school, working, music, politics, marriage, when I get back home to Houston, what I’ll do this weekend, and a lot of in depth theories I have about things like love, government, psychology of different people. I started a journal a while back, and I’ve been consistently writing down random things from the top of my head to the depths of my inner being. I know I have a blog, but some things I really don’t want to share because I either don’t want to share, or because I don’t want to publish unorganized and incomplete thoughts. I will try to organize those thoughts and maybe blog about them irregardless if they’re complete chains or not.
Writing isn’t all I do to express myself. I sing alone, and sometimes dance if I have the jitters, which is pretty much any time I find nobody with me behind closed doors. But if there are no doors, then I make sure I’m in a place where I can keep a close eye at the door and anybody entering. There were a few times where my Anatomy teacher walked in on me though. Hah, you thought I only do this at home, huh? Anyways, if you look at my notebook, it’s filled with drawings and doodles. Pen on paper is therapy for me. I’m in control of where the pen goes, freely expressing what’s on my mind. I draw random monkeys everywhere, and I started drawing charactitures  of some teachers. I also draw eyes which eventually form into the face I dream to be with. I kid. It’s just a random face of a random girl. I also have designs for tee shirts. Those, I don’t draw though. I write down my ideas for them. That’s another blog topic though, so hold on. Just writing “That’s another blog topic…” made me go to my journal and flip open a blank page and start writing about my plan for my tee-shirts.

This picture is one of a monkey stuck in a graffiti can. I’m gonna paint one once I do buy a spray paint can.

I’m back and once again, another incomplete thought/journal entry.

Since this is my first blog in a while, I’ll update just a little bit. I’ve been addicted to playing Connect Four online on www.omgpop.com, but there, it’s called “Fourplay”. Been playing with Federico Mercader and Ashton Garibaldi. We all ran DeBakey High School, but not Ricky because he left. I also played with Nanny one day. He and Ricky are the only ones that can beat me. 3rd place ain’t bad, is it?

Other than that, I started cutting my own hair again. Finally! I hated how people here can’t edge up properly or fade right. I did get a little happy with my hands though. I accidentally cut a bald spot on my right side, so I had to cover it up. It’ll grow back though.

I went to Subic two weekends ago. I think? Anyways, Alec, Daryl, Zai and I had a fun time. I’ll post selected pictures up so you can see. I just have to wait for somebody to upload them.

Sincerely,

I finally have a chance to blog once again. It’s 5PM here, and 4AM back home. I am currently in SM Megamall in one of the internet cafes, and I did pretty much a full body workout today.
Yesterday was my 20th birthday and it’s only typical that you would blog on your birthday or after talking about what you did and stuff.

Here’s my short story of how my birthday went.

• First on friday night, an uncle took us out for dinner. Invited all the Houston kids.
• On Saturday we went to go pick up our car. Stayed at the dealership for I don’t know how long and ends up that we did not pick up the car.
  We then took a taxi home so me and Alec can change. Then from the house we walked to get a jeepney to Trinoma mall where we ate. Then we went to the club that reopened, newly managed, name changed club Embassy, which is now called Encore. It’s pretty tight there. Danced and got to see stars. I saw Katy Perry, Jay-R, and Angel Locsin was there at the opening as well.
• On Sunday we woke up in Rockwell, our ballin’ condominium. And it was the card fight before Pacquiao, so we hurried to get a taxi back home. The streets were empty. It usually takes like an hour or more to get home from our condominium, but during the fight when everybody was glued to their television sets cheering on the man who represents our whole country, it only took us like 20 minutes. Of course, as you guys already know, Pacquiao won. I loved it, and I already knew he won when the free hour delayed fight aired on the television, but I just had to watch it.
• Monday. The big day. First day of school. My birthday. My first class was Filipino, and as you guys may know, I don’t really speak the language much, but I had to get in front of the class and talk about myself. I wanted to transfer out of that class, but I have 4 fellow Fil-Ams rowin’ in the same boat. My nursing theories class’ teacher is only 22. ;)

Since I’ve been here in the Philippines, I’ve compiled a list of the -__- face moments. So here it goes.

• I rub baby powder all over because rolling a deodorant stick all over your body is nasty.
• Surprisingly a 3 lane street turns into 6 1/2 lanes.
• It’s more convenient to text than call. But check this out. You know I texted a lot back home, but now that I’m in the “texting capital of the world” (yes, you can look it up) I don’t have a cellphone.
• I come here, and I’m dark compared to everybody. (I have yet to use that whitening face mask my brother told me to buy)
• Before coming to the Philippines, I took freakin’ cold showers to prepare for using a big tub of cold water universally used in the country. But I get to the house, and we have heated showers.
• Most shopping malls in this previously 3rd world country are much much bigger than all malls from Houston combined. (I’m sitting in the 9th biggest mall in the world, and there’s like 4 other malls in the Philippines that are in the largest 10 malls of the world)
• I go to the Philippines to meet Filipino stars (Syd knows what I’m talking about lol), and the first star I see was Katy Perry.
• I noticed everybody smokes here. I mean, how much worse can anything affect your lungs compared to merely breathing in Metro Manila.
• I wear my Kanye West shirt because a lot of people think “eMo iS cOoL”.

I was about to add “You’d usually go to the gym to check out hot mama’s, but here, swole gay men be checking you out”. But during today’s workout, I was proven wrong, extremely wrong. Lots of eye candy today lol

I have pictures with these stories, but I forgot to bring my cable to hook up my phone to the computer here. I promise to do it soon. Probably Thursday early afternoon, around this time (that’s Thursday super early morning for you guys). Well, I do have a 4 hour break between two of my classes tomorrow, so I’ll try it then.

Not really; I just haven’t had the chance to get online or call anybody because lack of internet in the condo, but right now, I’m at the house. A lot has happened so far: mainly good.

I guess I can start with the day before I left.

I packed until around lunch time. I was able to hang out with Ashtonita Viet-tutu. Ate at Brasil and I had the BLT, then we went to DOMY’s. Probably the best time I had at Domy’s so far, but at the same time, my most depressing and worst time (freakin’ Ashton). So basically I got all the rare toys, and Ashton and Viet got okay ones. Then Ashton calls me while I’m at the dealership and says “I think I have the golden ticket”. Lucky, man, lucky. Looks like you’ll be getting the secret Dunny by Pon.

Then for dinner I got to hang out with my advanced LTI crew. Had a blessed time with you guys, like always. Being loud and obnoxious like usual is always fun.

So as some of you guys know, I was able to fly first class. And in first class, we have a different waiting area separate from the terminal. There’s free computer access, and all you can eat snacks and drinks! So i went to go help myself to at least $30 worth of stuff.
The flight was okay; I watched a few movies including “The Soloist”, “Terminator: Salvation” and “Star Trek”. I also listened to the whole Taylor Swift “Fearless” CD about 3 times too. I actually like that CD. So that made my flight happy and short, plus I wasn’t squished like you’d usually be in economy class.

So my brother picked me up from the airport at around 6AM, and we headed straight to Rockwell. Keep in mind that Rockwell is the most expensive land you can buy in the Philippines right now, and that’s where our condo is. So yeah, we’re ballin’! Too bad I’m not a ballin’ boyfriend.
We just chilled there for a while and ate at this place I forgot, and waited ‘til the mall opened. At the mall, we just explored, and went to Greyone, a streetwear store that sells Stussy, Dissizit, A Mighty Healthy, and such brands that most of you guys never heard of. So we talked to the worker there, Gorge or Jorge or whatever, and we just talked about the different clothes and such, then we left.
Got to eat with my cousins Kuya Luis and Ate An at a restaurant called Abe later that night, and it was pretty good.
Then Alec and I met up with Carl later that night, and I got to meet Jack and Jill. Carl got skinny! And I know Carl would never go hit on a girl in public, but he told this girl “hey, you’re cute”. I was like… “You would never do that!” but he did..

The next day (day two), we went to another top of the line mall called Greenbelt, and there’s 5 sections to that mall. Pretty tight mall, but they have another Greyone store there, and some cool chic named Val was working. My brother ended up buying a fitted HUF cap. The had a bunch of toys on sale and display there, so we started talking about that, and looks like she knew what she was talking about. The had Tim Tsui, Futura, MAD and other artists I like. Then she started talking about all the different scenes that was there in Manila, mainly the Fil-Am scenes. She was talking about toys, tees, and even graffiti. Her boyfriend is actually in a graff crew. After talking to her, I was sure that this was the place for me! I know that a lot of you guys aren’t into toys, graff art or the clothes I’m into, but I really feel like a kid who just stepped into a candy store.
Oh yeah, we also watched “Jennifer’s Body”. It was gay, but my girlfriend was hot!

Today is day 3 and we finally found out how to work my Playstation that I brought over, so we’ve been playing that all day. Oh and I bought some Supras from Grey One.
And now, we’re at the house, I guess because we got so bored at the condo, and it’s hard trying to steal people’s internet. I just got done massaging my grandma. She needs to keep in mind that that’s not gonna be my job anymore! I’m gonna be a nurse!

Maybe later on today, Alec and I will record a Hat Boys video. And I will make sure to give you guys a video tour of the condo and the house because you guys would be impressed.

PS. I matched with Lucy while I was flying :D

It’s 4 AM and I’m wide awake. You’d expect me to frantically be packing the remainder of my clothes and necessities, but I’m not. You’d expect me to be reminiscing about my life as my last day in Houston, TX begins: I’m not. 
Nothing is on my mind right now; it’s one of those times when something so overwhelming takes over your entire being and you are paralyzed and numb to everything. Traveling half way around the world seems fun. Going to a new school is exciting. Meeting new people brings a joy to your heart. Getting away seems relieving. 
But it’s happening. To ME! Tomorrow; in about 36 hours. And that realization has not manifested itself in me yet. 
Am I in denial? I sure hope not. I’ve been living my life one step at a time. Whatever God has in store for me, I will wait for his opportune will and I will go. I don’t know what to feel. Mixed emotions, maybe. But I feel nothing. No sorrow nor joy nor regret nor excitement. Is something wrong? 
All I know is that this is the obvious next step in my life, and, like I said, I will go. Head on, and no looking back. I know it may be painful later on, but I know for certain, and I’ve already accepted the fact that this is what is best for me.

What will I do today? My last day. I plan to hang out with my closest buddies who are in Houston. Those who have made a difference in my life. 
I get to hang out with Ashton and Viet today for lunch. 
Then for dinner hopefully I get to hang out with most of my fellow advanced LTI people. Including Ryan, Jenny, Michelle, Matt, Chris, Melinda, and even Chris H. lol iono how to classify you now. 
Not meaning to take away anything from all my friends in Dallas or Austin or wherever, but y’all just ain’t here :P

All in all, I feel kind of gay starting a blog. Having to write down what’s inside my head. I must admit, it does feel good, it brings a sense of freedom to me, and hopefully a chance for you guys to keep up with my new life. :]