Finally, a Miss Philippines bags the crown after eight years since Miss Earth’s conception in 2001. Over eighty-five ladies from all over the world paraded in their swimsuits and evening gowns tonight at Clark Expo Amphiteater in Pampanga.

Her court are as follows:

• Miss Tanzania Miriam Odemba (Miss Earth - Air)
• Miss Mexico Abigail Elizalde Romo (Miss Earth - Water)
• Miss Brazil Tatiane Alves (Miss Earth - Fire)

The last time a Miss Philippines went home with a crown was in 2006 when Catherine Untalan won Miss Earth-Water. That year, Hil Hernandez of Chile won as Miss Earth 2006.

Congrats Karla Paula Henry! You deserved the title!

Mark your calendars (or probably not!): October 11 was the very first time Bee brought home a girlfriend for his parents to meet, and, the very first time I was introduced as someone’s girlfriend. I know how it sounds weird coming from someone whose present relationship is not exactly the first; but I’ve also never imagined how meeting the parents for the first time can really be so nerve-wracking. It was a lot easier the first time since my ex’ parents knew me even before we got together so there was but little adjustments to be made on my part. This time around, there were butterflies all over my stomach and my throat was running dry no matter how much I spoke. They were really nice and very accommodating though, and I must say the experience was great overall despite the jitters on my part.

My friends and I have agreed how planned excursions never really get through the planning stage. The unexpected Meet-the-Parents-Part-II was another proof to that. It all started with a suggestion for him to bring home some flowers for his mom’s birthday; then, the flowers were dissed and the next thing we know, we were arguing over what cake to bring. I don’t really want to generalize but guys really have the tendency to lack taste when it comes to gift-giving. He wanted to bring home Brazo de Mercedes while I argued we get her some more special cake instead. So if you happened to see us with the box of cake from Conti’s, you’d know who won the argument.

Needless to say, the (muy delicioso) Mango Bravo cake, didn’t let me down. Perhaps next time, a candlelit dinner would make her mom feel even more special. Votive candle holders anyone?

Conti’s famous Mango Bravo (photo from here)

We’re down to the last stretch of exams before we officially bid goodbye to the first semester. I can’t wait!!! I looked forward to the first semester with much delight because this would be - theoretically - my last year of having classroom lectures before the “baptism of fire”. But it turns out, and as my friends from the upper batch warned me beforehand, the final year spent in the classrooms was not (and never will be) grandiose. The last four months went by like a breeze. It’s feels like June started only yesterday but before I know it, here I am just a few days short from officially closing the first semester.

If there’s anything to feel at the moment, it’s perhaps this very surreal feeling of nostalgia as I look back to the days when I was just starting out… It’s only been two years and a half but a lot has changed from Day 1. From around 94 doe-eyed doctor-wannabes, we’re down to 53 and that’s inclusive of some people from the higher batch who didn’t quite make it with their peers. A few nights ago, I browsed through my videos at youtube and chanced upon one of the videos I made for school.

What made me really sad about this was the fact that only 6 of those featured in that video have remained to be my classmates. Some transferred schools, others have decided med school wasn’t for them while a few had backlogs. Back when we made that video, we were all hoping that we’d bump into each other in the hospital as we do rounds in our fourth and fifth years, sadly though I guess the streets are the only place we’d hopefully bump into each other.

It’s another cold night. I need a hug, but all I have is this electric blanket. =(

I have never been a fixture in blog events whether big time or just a small gathering even if I’ve been blogging since time immemorial. Things changed in the past couple of months though as I found myself actually attending two and a quarter of blog events in perhaps, a span of three months. The first was Buhay Coke Part 1 at Taste Asia where I got to mingle not only with my blog friends but had been within 500 meter-radius with the big names in the field of blogging (fangirl? LOL). The second, which technically, I didn’t really attend as the programme had already finished and the food had long been gone, was Buhay Coke Part 2 at the same venue. The last one just happened over the weekend, when I once again exposed the face behind this blog at Wordcamp 2008.

I didn’t exactly know what to expect aside from the fact that I’d be brushing elbows and breathing the same air with the bloggers at the top of the food chain. To my surprise, there was quite a number of bloggers who showed up. Some of them I’ve seen in the past events, while others (which were a lot!) were new faces to me. I believe the seminars were well attended, although I won’t be a hypocrite and say all of them were much to my liking. I did, however, enjoy listening to Mr. Danny Arao who tackled about Blogging and Journalism. Although my field now is a mile away from journalism, the topic itself was really close to my heart being once a journalist myself. But perhaps the most unforgettable part of the event, aside from the freebies (promotional pens from Friendster, mugs et al), the muy delicioso cupcakes by Sonja from Spot.ph and the prizes (which I never got any by the way) was the unprecedented spotlight thrown at me when Mr. Danny Arao thought I was Doc Tess Termulo (Hi doc! I hope you don’t mind the link ). Flattering it is, really, if only for the thought that at least I already look the part of a doctor, (never mind if my med school grades are still hanging up in the air), but at the same time, it was really embarrassing as being put on the spot was never at the top of my list in any occasion for that matter - Wordcamp or not!

I really really enjoy going out of my turf once in a while. Going out with non-medical people for a couple of hours is like a breath of fresh air to me. Too bad exams are coming up (yes, AGAIN!) and I have to go back into hiding if I want to redeem myself and my dismal grades.

So to everyone, from the new people I met, the old faces I’m already sick of seeing (kidding! kidding!), the organizers, speakers and most especially to Matt Mullenweg, (who is the new love of my life, I’m sorry Bee! ), thank you for keeping this doctor-to-be alive, kicking and SANE!

See you again next year!

Sometimes, just a simple gesture is enough to make you happy and kiss your worries away.

I have a bad prognosis for the Neurology exam that I took this afternoon. I think I got some concepts messed up while I was taking the exam. I am not sure if I got enough correct answers to make me pass that first exam - nevertheless, I feel disheartened and disappointed with myself because I knew I would have done a whole lot better at that exam if only I came in more prepared. But things have passed and there’s no use crying over spilled milk. I’m spending another all-nighter cramming for one of my major subjects and I was actually at that point when I’m already panicking. You see, I think I have panic anxiety disorder. I get palpitations, my tummy starts to act all messed up and I get dizzy when faced with such kind of pressure (Sorry, I ain’t Janina San Miguel who’s “not feeling any pressure right now“. LOL) I was actually close to tears. And then, my cellphone started to beep: it was a message from Bee saying he’s coming over from work and we’ll be having dinner together. I think I felt my heart fluttering. You see, in the past few weeks, we only see each other once a week because we both have responsibilities to attend to and usually, we get to see each other only during the weekends. But there it was, typed out in an SMS message that he’s coming over. Have I been good for the past 6 months that Santa’s already giving me an early present for Christmas?

I won’t be able to cram even half of what I need to know just a few hours before I take the exam. I’ve come to terms with that already and I’m good. But these sweet gestures from him - to drop by, feed me some pizza, give me the extra push that I need and just hug me tight when I feel like crying already - are more than enough fuel to keep my fire going and believe that I can do even the most impossible right now.

I have barely nine hours to study; given the condition that I won’t sleep a wink tonight. But I don’t really care that much anymore. I’m just filled with joy that someone out there still believes in the things that I can do.

I just came home from gatecrashing a party for a queen. No. This is not some party of a socialite-wannabe or a gathering for a queen-for-a-day. It is indeed for the queen herself - Queen Elizabeth II - in celebration of her 82nd birthday.

My bff caught me online this morning. What started as a friendly “how are you” chat ended with an unexpected invitation to a party she was to attend this evening. You see, my best friend, the cause-oriented, diplomat-wannabe is currently involved in some organization. Now, don’t dare ask me further ‘coz all I know is that it involves: Foundation, Youth and the Prince of Wales (just connect the dots). She wanted me to gatecrash ‘coz she didn’t know anyone else in that party. Her boyfriend, who would also be gatecrashing the event, also prodded me to come with them. I planned to attend the jazz dance class this evening at 8 pm and I had to rewire my brain a little bit so that I wouldn’t feel guilty of having skipped dance again for tonight’s event. Clad in the best attire I could come up with at the last minute, off I went to the British ambassador’s home in Forbes Park, ready to be kicked out for not having been properly invited at all.

After spending almost three hours being a wallflower (hooray for me I wasn’t booted out of the party!), here are ten things that I came to realize: » Continue Reading