the perils of

I woke up early today so that I could hitch a ride with my mom to the National Statistics Office. (I need to submit my original birth certificate to confirm my slot at AdMU... The deadline was last Saturday!) It was just eight in the morning, but when we got there, there was a huge crowd - no, mob - of people gathered both inside and outside the building. The place was packed . After filling out a couple of forms that the guard gave us, an NSO worker stapled a priority number to our papers (see picture at left.) #484. Hmm, that couldn't be too bad. After all, this place has been open since six in the morning, I thought. "What number are you serving now?" my mom asked the NSO guy. "50." . . . My mom dropped me off at the McDonald's near Limketkai Mall, where I'd spend an hour eating ice cream before heading off to Ketkai, which opens only at ten. Then I'd hitch a ride with...

I went back to my beloved alma mater this afternoon to request for Form 137 and a Certificate of Good Moral Character, the two things I need to submit to ADMU to confirm that I'm going there. I was waiting in line behind two moms to see Ms. Castilio, the school registrar whom I've really come to love this school year, when I look to my left and see my classmate Jan walking in with his trademark trucker cap and Jesus Christ pin. Jan is one of the only two people I know who have turned down the opportunity to study in the University of the Philippines (Diliman!) in favor of schooling at Xavier University. I know, he's crazy. But he's also one of the most intelligent people I know, so I'm pretty sure that he's going to outshine his classmates whichever college he decides to go to (just like he outshined me. Hahahahaha!) The reason he's going to Xavier is that XU Nursing students top the board exams, and he aspires to become a great doctor one day... But you kn...