McKenzie, trust Me.

Hi, Nicah.

noreply@blogger.com (Nix <3) — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 08:33:00 +0000

So yeah. :)) I'm back.
Kasi naman, some people there don't appreciate the "blah-ness" of this idea.
Sorry naman. Trying to hone my skills, ya know? :)) Pero NOOO.

High school's been scary. Really scary. They cut no slack, see all errors. RAWR. I will survive. :P

But... YEAH. It's my birthday tomorrow. :) Which is great. I'm turning 14 and it's great. :D

I really just posted to let you know you'll only be hearing from McKenzie when matters are too personal to REALLY talk about here. Thanks. :D
BYE. :)

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah

noreply@blogger.com (Nix <3) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 11:09:00 +0000

It's been a month, and basically, McKenzie's just stopped caring. Stopped caring that she lost her best friend, stopped caring about that tightening feeling in her chest whenever she saw Lara and Hannah (that rhyme made her even more sick) together.

About a week ago, she said to herself, "If Lara doesn't want me anymore, then fine." To her, she wasn't worth it anymore. She'd make more friends; meet more people.

McKenzie was free.

When she and God had their little talks at night, it wasn't about how hurt she was anymore, or how stupid she'd been. He was reassuring her that she wasn't the reason Lara wasn't by her side anymore. It's just something that had to happen. Lara wasn't such a good influence on Kenny, anyway.

You'll make new friends, God had said, over and over.

And He was right. As always. McKenzie was living life without Lara with her one day at a time. And guess what? She realized her real friends had been around her all along. The people that really mattered.

Besides, Lara was stealing what time McKenzie had for God.

Everything was falling into place, and McKenzie was happy. So happy.

Super-dee-dooper happy.

Aha. Aha. Aha.

The Dark Side.

noreply@blogger.com (Nix <3) — Sat, 24 May 2008 23:26:00 +0000

She still couldn't believe it. It's the 3rd night after seeing Lara with her, and McKenzie was (yet again) tossing and turning in her bed trying to figure out how things could've made a wrong turn. She just couldn't put it together!

Lara has always, ALWAYS hated Hannah. ALWAYS! She despises her! I don't remember that changing before I left the country... I mean, to me, Hannah's always been just 'OK'. Until now. She took my best friend away from me!

She repeated those words over and over in her head those 3 nights. She tried to figure out how this all worked out: I left. Lara's sad and still thinks Hannah belongs in hell. I'm away for a couple of months. Lara suddenly realizes Hannah's the next best thing?? THIS JUST DOES NOT MAKE SENSE!

Finally, McKenzie decides to give Him a call.

---

Hi, again, God.

Hello, Kenny. How are you?

Are you seriously asking that? As if you don't already know.

Haha, nice one. I forget that you already know I'm ever-knowing. Go on. Give me another rant.

Alright, alright. I'm back from Japan, and all of a sudden, Lara's hanging out with Hannah. And she left me. She didn't even crack a joke when I got back, much less smile for me!

Isn't Hannah that girl she hates so much? Oh my, "hate". How I... dislike that word.

Yeah! That's her! That's why I've been so troubled. You've seen me. I've been awake for 3 nights, God. THREE!

You know what? Let's talk tomorrow. I think you need some sleep.

Yeah, right I need some sleep! Do you have any idea how long I've been... Urm, waiting, to... Uhh, go...

Good night, McKenzie.

Bye, Nicah.

noreply@blogger.com (Nix <3) — Sat, 24 May 2008 06:12:00 +0000

Okay. I'm back, again. XD Sorry I haven't been writing in as much as I should be. Been... Caught up.

Anyhow, I've decided to make my blog more - I wanna say - creative. To practice my writing skills. To express myself in more meaningful, well, means. So, starting today, my blog will now become a story. A story of a girl named McKenzie. Yes, McKenzie. I did say "creative", didn't I? :P

So, good-bye, Nicah's World. Hello, McKenzie Batumbakal. (Nicah, what were you thinking??) LOL.

---

It was supposed to be a good day, she said to herself.

And she was right. McKenzie had just landed from Japan. Beautiful Japan. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom, and she had the most delicious sushi while she was there. She even got her dog a kimono (and kimonos in extra EXTRA large dog size isn't easy to find)!

Today, she was home. Manila. She missed her family, her friends, the food. And the day she had been looking forward to, the day she would see her friends again, was there. She pictured it over and over and over in her mind: There's gonna be smiles! And definitely a lot of hugs. No drama or anything, just me and my friends. Of course, Lara's gonna be shouting "Kenny! Kenny!!! Who killed Kenny?!", and everyone's gonna laugh. 5 months away from home, FINALLY over!

Yeah, you read that right, 5 months. Not like she didn't have fun in Japan. She sure as heaven did. She missed her relatives there. The Batumbakals in Japan were the best. But, something about the Philippines made her miss it. No, it wasn't the pollution. Definitely not the traffic. And maybe it wasn't the humidity either. It was the people. The people she left there. And even the dog.

But today wasn't the day she had pictured it to be. She never imagined that Lara, bubbly, happy, amazing Lara, would do that. She never imagined her best friend joining... The dark side.

And trust me, the dark side is not a good place to be.

Hilary Duff Morph. Funny.

noreply@blogger.com (Nix <3) — Wed, 21 May 2008 23:01:00 +0000

MyHeritage: Celebrity Morph - Blank family tree - Family history

Japan Whaling Scandal

noreply@blogger.com (Nix <3) — Fri, 16 May 2008 11:39:00 +0000

I am a Greenpeace member, and I just received an update. Apparently, Greenpeace has uncovered some real evidence to the illegal whale meat trade in Japan (good job guys!), and now, it's our time to act.
---

Finally, we can tell the story some of us have been sitting on for months now: the whale meat embezzlement we uncovered in Japan, in which stolen cuts of prime whale bacon are smuggled away from the "scientific research" vessels and sold for oodles of yen -- one of our informers heard a crew member claim he built a house on his illegal proceeds.We hit the front page of Japan's biggest newspaper, Asahi Shimbun, this morning -- a first for Greenpeace in Japan, where whale stories have always been hard to sell. But with the Japanese government in seeming constant free fall with corruption scandals being unearthed all the time, whale meat embezzlement -- especially since it involves taxpayers' money -- is a monster story.

05/15/2008 THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
Greenpeace Japan said Thursday it will seek a criminal investigation against 12 crew members of a research whaling ship over allegations they embezzled a ton of meat from whales caught in the Antarctic Ocean.

The group says the crew members aboard the research vessel Nisshin Maru sent cardboard boxes believed to have contained whale meat to their homes.

At a news conference Thursday in Tokyo, Greenpeace Japan members displayed whale meat they said had been intercepted on route to the home of a crew member. The box contained 23.5 kilograms of coveted whale meat used in bacon.

The estimated value of the meat is between 110,000 yen and 350,000 yen ($1,048 and $3,334), according to Greenpeace Japan.

This goes to the heart of the legality of the whaling programme. The ICR (Institute for Cetacean Research, which runs the scientific whaling programme) is constantly claiming that they are *compelled* to sell the "byproduct of their scientific research" by the International Treaty on the Conservation of Whales -- they don't really *want* to sell it, no no no it's not a commercial activity, there's a *law* see? Well guys, you made your bed, now sleep in it. If it's the law, then turning a blind eye to your own crew members skimming the best cuts off the top and distributing them to cronies and restaurants for kudos and profit is, literally, a criminal offense.

On top of that, the commercial sales are supposed to be "deferring the cost of the research programme" which costs the Japanese taxpayer US$ 4.7 million every year. So you can imagine there's some unhappy Japanese taxpayers reading the paper this morning. And watching the news as well -- every Japanese TV station was at our press conference a few hours ago, and the story has run already four or five times, even before prime news time.

So what do the whalers have to say about this? When we asked before the revelations, on the 8th of May, this is what the Japanese Fisheries Agency, the government agency responsible for whaling said:

8 May 2008 11:58 Investigator: After the price (of the whale meat) will be decided on in June, will all whale meat be sold at this price?
Mr. Naruko: Yes, United price will be set according to each part of the meat. Meat will go to the wholesalers with this price.

Investigator: Which means there will be no sales before June?

Mr. Naruko: Yes, without a price, there’s no way to sell.
Investigator: I heard from somewhere that the sailors used to bring back some whale meat as private souvenirs during the industrial whaling period. This does not happen these days under the research whaling, right?

Mr. Naruko: Of course not. Since the distribution (of whale meat) is very limited.
Investigator: Since the whale meat is considered as “official,” right?

Mr. Naruko: Yes.

Kyodo Senpaku, the company that runs the whaling ships, today also claimed it doesn't happen. Then changed their mind and said there was perhaps "some suspicion."

And the ICR, which runs the scientific programme, said souvenirs, just souvenirs:

"It has been a longstanding practice since we were whaling as a commercial activity," he said. "We treat it as comparable to making whale meat a source of our meals (during the voyage). It should not be a problem."
Another ICR official said each of about 250 crew members of a research whaling fleet receives several kilograms of whale meat for free as a token.

However, Greenpeace Japan noted that if the 47 boxes sent from the Nisshin Maru contained whale meat, the total would have exceeded 1 ton.

In fact, our informers mentioned the souvenirs, and said the smuggled whale bacon was on top of that -- kilograms of stuff they sneak into their cabins, salt and put in cardboard. We even talked to a woman who sells the special salt in the port town where the whales depart from: she says she can't keep enough of it in stock when the whaling crew are making their preparations to leave -- they buy her out, and the town runs out of cardboard. The salt is only for the whale bacon, the finest cuts, and doesn't get used for the souvenir meat.

One crew member sent boxes weighing 200 to 300 kilograms, according to the crew member.
Another former crew member said he sent 20 kg of whale meat to his home and ate it with his family. (IHT/Asahi: May 15,2008)

Now, if that lucky crew member who took home 200-300 kilos sold it at premium prices, he made a tidy profit of 25,000 - 38,000 USD off of a non-commercial, scientific whale hunt expedition. Who says crime --er, I mean science -- doesn't pay?

Two Diet members have now put official questions in to the Japanese Parliament and there will be an open seminar on Monday with the Diet members, media, and embassy officials, to look into the scandal further.

The Japanese people have been ripped off and lied to for too long. It's time for the politicians to step in and kill the permits for killing whales. Write this letter. Send it to your friends. Time to say game over. The jig's up. Everybody out of the pool. You're nicked, mate.

Eulogy.

noreply@blogger.com (Nix <3) — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 02:37:00 +0000

My grandpa died recently.

He was a really good guy. He cared about his family (grandma, my mom and her sisters, his grandchildren, and myself). He liked making people happy. He took my advice and tried to become healthier, and started reading his Bible and going to church.

He spoiled us a lot. Whatever we asked him to buy us, he'd get it. In fact, he'd buy me a whole load of stuff I never asked for, and things I thought I'd seriously never use. But I guess that's how he wanted to show how much he thought about us and how much he wants to be a part of our lives. Sometimes people would get mad at him, like my grandma, or whoever, and he'd try to keep his cool and listen. Even if he did some things that we didn't want him to be doing - eating foods he wasn't supposed to eat, spending money at Vegas - he loved us all the same.

He was just full of love that he wanted to share with us.

-----

When my family and I go to the states this monday, and when we arrive, I'll have to do his eulogy. My mom said, "A eulogy is when you say something nice about person because he's dead." But I believe it's really more than that. It's not just a speech saying how sweet this guy was, or how all his achievements made you proud: it's bringing someone to life again, even it's just for a couple of minutes. It's showing people his whole person and what he meant to you. It's like a big show-and-tell where you want people to appreciate who this person was, before you all try to move on and stash to memories away.

I hope I can do my Grandpa Pops justice when I do his eulogy. He deserves it.

-----

Thanks guys. :) God bless, and take care.

See you people in the States, soon!!! :)

D'you miss me? :]

noreply@blogger.com (Nix <3) — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 11:24:00 +0000

word of the day: all-out

Oh, hello. :>

I'm sorry if I've been gone for too long. Especially to my Ninangs over there in the US. :)

I was grounded. :| yes, grounded. Don't worry, I'm a good girl. It's just that sometimes good girls become lazy when it comes to schoolwork, and... :| well, you can guess the rest. :P

But now, I'm not! So I'm back on my ~~butt~~ computer chair, chatting and blogging and gaming away. :P

What's been going on in my life?

What's Up In Nicah's Life

1. Academics are over! :)
Final exams are over, with all-out good grades, too. :) But...

2. NON-STOP GRADUATION PRACTICE. :|
It's soo boring!!! I swear. :| So boring I really do fall asleep. and so torture-ous because we're having it for the whole week! and 3 more days after holy week. :| All-out boring. Shucks! But I'm totally excited for....

3. BATCH NIGHT!!!! WOOOT!!! <:-P
It's this big party/concert/gimmick thing at school where we get stay until 10 pm and just PARTAAAY. Haha! There's this whole "Glam Gig" theme, sorta like a red carpet event. So my classmates and I are going shopping for crazy wigs and cool accesories. All-out glam!

4. Crazy mood swings. :| :) :P :(
They're crazy. :| Teenhood is all-out crazy. :))

5. Been a very happy girl. ^^
yes, even when I was grounded. :) Like, all-out grounded. No cellphone, no computer, no landline. :| whoo.

Sick of being home.

noreply@blogger.com (Nix <3) — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 00:13:00 +0000

Sigh. I've been sick these past 4 days. Colds, cough, and I had slight fever yesterday. And I ~~hate~~ don't like it. I've been staying home for two days, and frankly, I don't know what I'm going to do all day.

My friend *ahem ahem, Matt* gave me and idea to post...

Things To Do When You're Sick and Stuck At Home

1. Watch TV
As always. :P But sometimes there's really nothing to watch. :| Marathons are good, though. :D

2. Eat!
This is always an option. It works best for 1 day viruses though. Any longer and... *Faaat*

3. Read a book.
Fun and educational. But it'll probably only last you a couple of hours.

4. Write a song.
5. Make a new language.
6. Talk in 3rd person.
7. Have a tea party.
8. Label all the electric cords.
9. Organize your room.

10. Write in your blog. :P

See. I'm soo bored. :))

God bless, take care. :)

Rubik's Cube.

noreply@blogger.com (Nix <3) — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 12:09:00 +0000

Yeah. Don't let the title turn you off. Believe it or not, the cube is back in. ;) People are starting to cube again and people are getting waaay faster. : Fastest I've seen is 7 seconds, so far. But that was on YouTube... So let's question the validity. :P

But nothing beats this. --> CLICK TO WATCH AMAZING CUBING VIDEO!

hahahahaha! =)) Hehe. :) Just having fun.

But anyway, I got a cube for Christmas in 2007, and after a couple of weeks of frustration, and after asking some help from a friend, and from learning from a very reliable source *wink wink*, I've finally learned to solve the cube!

...But not very fast, mind you. :P My record so far is 2.46 ~~seconds~~ minutes. SO not fast enough. But I'll be updating that portion on the left side *points to part that says "My Cubing Record"* often... So, yeah. :P

Gosh. I feel so geeky. Yet cool at the same time. XD

Alright, so I'm bored. :)) Bye ya guys.

Take care, God bless. :)

Nix.

P.S. If you want to learn how to cube... click here ;)

Welcome, 2008! :)

noreply@blogger.com (Nix <3) — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 07:32:00 +0000

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!!! :)

Okay, I know, it's a tad bit late. :D But what the heck, it's still a NEW YEAR! :) Everyone has celebrated, blown up fireworks and written their resolutions. It's a time to look at ourselves and see what we need to change and start over with. A time to appreciate everyone who had helped us in the year and those whom we want to make even more memories with. :)

So let's welcome this new year 2008 with a list. XD :))

Things to Expect in 2008!

1. New friends. :)

We meet new people everyday, and we'll never know who might be our new best friend or maybe even our new crush. :> hehe. But whatever the case, don't miss an oppurtunity to shake the hand of someone new.

2. New memories!

Every year, something happens that makes a difference in our lives. Whether it be an outing with your friends, a conversation over the phone with your relative, or even just a stroll in your neighborhood, expect to learn something new and to add a new moment to remember in your hearts. :)

3. New mistakes. :

We are only human. We will make mistakes once in a while. They may be small, or they may be life changing. But whatever our mistakes are, we should look at them in a positive view and grab the lesson that needs to be learnt from it! Mistakes are given to us by our God for us to change our wrongdoings and to realize what needs to be fixed in our lives. Mistakes can either make us better people, or worse. You decide. ;)

4. New disasters. :(

Well, let's hope not. But it's true: things happen, things that are out of our control. There was 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, the tsunami in Asia... and the list goes on. But again, look at them as oppurtunities! Oppurtunities to lend a hand, to help out, and to show our concern. And when lives are lost, it is an oppurtunity to see our lives in a different light. We can realize how blessed we are, and be more thankful for the lives given to us. :)

5. New lessons. :)

"You learn something new everyday." This saying is true. :) But only a few lessons stick in our minds, and in our hearts, too. They may be learnt through a person, through an experience, through a mistake, or through some epiphany, maybe. However they are discovered, let's remember that they all come from our Lord, and that we have to use them for the good of all. :) (woaaah. haha.)

Happy new year to everyone. :) Hope your 2008 is gonna be even better than our '07. :>

God bless, take care.

Love,
Nicah.

P.S. I know how to solve a Rubik's Cube. :>

P.P.S. I'm sorry, I had no time to Christmas post. XD This year nalang. :D

Christmas quizzes in time for Christmas! :)

noreply@blogger.com (Nix <3) — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 02:28:00 +0000

Christmas season, my friends. :) Happy Holidays! (and yes, I'm back from Baguio)

Your Christmas Sprit Level: 75%

Your Christmas spirit is almost as big as Christmas itself. Christmas is definitely your thing.
You celebrate Christmas with enthusiasm. You love every minute of the holidays.

Your Christmas spirit is inspiring to everyone who runs into you during the holidays.
You make everyone's day just a little bit brighter. And that's what the holidays are all about!

Do You Have the Christmas Spirit?

Your Christmas Song Is

He's making a list
And checking it twice
Gonna find out who's naughty and nice
Santa Claus is coming to town

For you, Christmas is all about checking your stocking...
And opening your presents like a wild animal!

What Christmas Carol Are You?

Your Christmas Stocking Will Be Filled With a Stuffed Animal

Either Santa got your Christmas wish many years late...
Or he secretly thinks you're a bit immature!

What Will Be In Your Christmas Stocking?

Coffee.

noreply@blogger.com (Nix <3) — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 23:58:00 +0000

It's been a while since I've posted one of my lists. :) I think it's due time that I do. :P

As most of my friends know, I'm a total COFFEE LOVER. And the Christmas season is also my coffee season. Can you guess why? The Starbucks special flavors, of course. :P I enjoy walking into the beautiful Starbucks threshold (either alone, with friends, or with my family), walking up to the counter, and finally telling the barista, "One tall, decaf, peppermint mocha latte please, warm." with a big smile and confidence in my voice. Oh yes, PEPPERMINT.

What is it about coffee that I absolutely love? Here's my list:

What I Totally LOVE About Coffee

1. The scent.
It's undeniable. Taking a whiff of your still-hot cup of coffee is surrenderance to its strong temptation to, "Don't wait 'till I'm warm, Nicah. You know you want me NOW, when I'm still scorching hot." It's pure seduction! And all you can do is indulge, indulge, indulge.

2. The look.
Okay, so it's brown. But then what happens when you add your creamer, sugar, cinnamon powder and what-haves? You get a nice soft hazel brown, just like the fur of my little chihuahua (hence the name, Frappie :P). Plus, have you seen pictures of newly-stirred and steaming coffee? With the cream still marble-ing into the dark brown solution? It's beautiful. :)

3. The warmth.
You know how the mug or cup feels like when there's warm coffee inside? It's so comforting. :) It's like your hands being wrapped in nice, soft, thick blankets. And the warmth resonates to the other parts of your body. :) And the climax of the warmth is when the coffee is finally sliding down your throat: it's pure magic. :)

4. The taste! (finally.)
Oh my goodness. If you've never tasted coffee, then you're missing out on a lot... Oh gee, I don't even know how to express it. Just get yourself a cup of good coffee. Now. Run to Starbucks, Gloria Jean's, or whatever. Just get your coffee. You probably desperately need it. :

AH yes, coffee. Who doesn't love it? Some tall person, probably. :)) I'm really short. :)) Because of all the caffeine. But at least I'm cute and petite, right? :D Mom says some guys like petite. Makes them feel that they can protect me more. :))

Anyway, enjoy your coffee, sweeties. :) Enjoy your Christmas season. :)

Chimo!

Nicah.

P.S. I'll be out of town for a while, I'll write as soon as I get back. :)

I'm back! And in a partying mood, too. :>

noreply@blogger.com (Nix <3) — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 06:47:00 +0000

Oh wow, I haven't blogged in a loooong time. :| But now I'm here again, and hopefully I'm here to stay. :D Oh bloggie, I've missed you so! *insert romantic reuniting scene here*

Anyway, today, at school, we had our Christmas party. Oh yes, CHRISTMAS PARTY! We had loads of food and fun games (e.g. plastic bag dance, the longest line, fastest nail polish application?). DigiCams were flashing everywhere, taking stolen (not to mention ~~embarrassing~~!) pictures, and catching on ~~film~~ memory card the bonding and funny moments we were having with each other. :)

I got loaads of gifts! Including this ADORABLE cow that my best friend, Camille, got me. :D (I don't think I've mentioned that I absolutely LOVE COWS.) I named it Poogie. As in the Filipino word for "handsome", pogi, except with a long O. :> I'll shall post his life story soon. :P

So what do these 2 weeks of vacation have in store for me? Well, let's see:

What's Up Christmas Break o7-o8

1. Last-minute Christmas shopping!

oh yes, I wasn't able to finish everything with all the studying I had to do, honey. :|

2. Planning for somebody's *insert inaudible whispering here*.

heeheehee. :D

3. Going to Ba-gui-ohh City. :>

tonna go horseback riding in the cold of the December Philippine highlands. :> :| :))

4. Celebrating Christmas!!! :)

there will be loads of food, music, beautiful lights, and presents! We're going to spend Christmas as a family, and celebrate the birthday of our Lord and Savior. :)

5. My group is going to be doing our I.P. (investigatory project) video at my place. :>

actually, afterwards, we're going swimming at the country club. :))

6. Starting band rehearsals to prepare for the grade school fair. :>

enough said, my dear. :D

7. Going out of town for the second time. :)

I forget where... :)) I think... Bacolod ata?

8. NEW YEAR'S PARTY!!!!

we're all going to be talking loud, stuffing our mouths, watching fireworks, staying up reaaally late!, and jumping REALLY high to become REALLY tall. :D (especially I) Time to write those resolutions!

9. Barkada gimmick, anyone?

oh yes, time to have some fuuuun.

10. Being thankful for the break. :)

I've been working so hard lately... I need this break! Thank God. But I will miss my friends. :( :D

That's all for now, friends.

God bless you all! Take care.

Have a Merry Christmas! :)

'Till next time,

Nicah.

P.S. Please leave a note in my cbox, over there, on the side. :D Thanks!

Reaching Out

noreply@blogger.com (Nix <3) — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 02:27:00 +0000

Okay, so I haven't blogged in a long while. But I'm back! :) And with an experience I'd like to share. :D

Yesterday was a really cool day.

Our school has an program called the Kapitbahay Outreach Program. "Kapitbahay", in Tagalog, means "neighbor", and the idea is that we reach out to our less-fortunate neighbors from different squatter areas and public schools. And yesterday, we had our Grade 7 Kapitbahay.

It was raining early in the morning yesterday, so the original plan, to ride a jeepney to Krus Na Ligas Public School, was cancelled. Instead, the students will be coming to us. With our ensaymadas and tetra pack juices ready, and with our donation of books and school supplies at hand, we were ready for them.

They each came in one by one, going to their respective ates, whom were expected to take care of their kids for the rest of the wet morning. My partner and I received a boy named Rinnel. He looked much like the quiet type. Gabin (meh partner) and I asked him about his family and his life at school.
He has 6 other siblings, each studying at the same school. His dad works as a carpenter, and his mom stays at home to care for him and his siblings. His favorite subject is Math, and he enjoys drawing more than reading. Someday, he wants to become a teacher.

Talking to him was interesting. I realized that he lived a pretty much normal life, with family and school, and with the same dreams as anyone else. And he definitely wasn't the shy type.

My partner and I began to read to him, when he said that he wanted to read on his own. So he read the Filipino book out loud to us, and Gabin and I were surprised when he was reading even more fluently then she and I were! :) I couldn't help but smile.
During to Response to Literature portion of the program, Rinnel drew his favorite character, a talking car, with cartoonist-like precision. He wanted his drawing to look exactly like the one in the book. We were again surprised with his perfectionist style and how headstrong he was on completing the drawing. :)

It was time to eat. We offered him a really yummy-looking ensaymada and some juice. He said he wasn't hungry. Although we begged him to eat, he really didn't want to. It was kind of weird to us. Then we realized we should ask him why, and he responded, in Tagalog, "I want to bring it home to my family." My partner and I smiled, and said that he could have more to take home after he ate. He smiled and took a bite. :)

Saying goodbye was bittersweet. All of my classmates enjoyed spending time with their Kapitbahay kid, and all of us were surprised to see their works of art and to hear how well they understood the story read to them. The kids were clearly happy to bring home new pencils, crayons and books. Not to mention food. But their hugs goodbye made us want to spend more time with them. :( And when they left, all we had left to remember them by were our memories.

Meeting the students, especially Rinnel, has changed my attitude towards my studies, and towards the less-fortunate. Those kids were just like any kids in the fourth grade, except that maybe they really work hard to get high grades, they listen in class, and they study because they're thankful for the oppurtunity, and they want to make their families happy. Makes me want to do better at school, myself. :)

If someday you read this Rinnel, thanks. :) God bless, take care! :)

Nicah.

QUIZZES: am I hot? and what do guys like about you? :> (for my galpals)

noreply@blogger.com (Nix <3) — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 00:05:00 +0000

You Are More Mild Than Wild

You're confident, and you really aren't concerned with how "hot" you are.
Other people's ideas of what's sexy don't concern you. And this is exactly what makes you attractive.

Are You Hot?

I love it. :D

Guys Like That You're Sensitive

And not in that "cry at a drop of a hat" sort of way
You just get most guys - even if you're not trying to
Guys find it is easy to confide in you and tell you their secrets
No wonder you tend to get close quickly in relationships!

What Do Guys Like About You?

Is this true? XP

The Greatest Bookstore In The Philippines.

noreply@blogger.com (Nix <3) — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 09:25:00 +0000

I was there. I saw the spendor. And what can I say? "Woah."

My mom took me there 2 days ago, since she had a meeting at the Starbucks INSIDE the bookstore. Fully-Booked, it's called. Fully-Booked is one of the more high-class bookstores in the Philippines, it's way up there with Sketchbooks and A Different Kind of Bookstore.

It has 4 floors up, and a basement. Yes, a basement. And the books and materials and resources? Oh my. I can't even say how NICE they were. Here are some pictures I took. (which reminded me of some of my friends. :P)

CD rack. Yes, they sell music. o.O JazzPER. :))

Ok, this is just funny. :)) I got it from the inside of a "weird toys" book. :)) Reminded me of Regina. :P

NANCY DREW!!! Love the colors. :D Reminded me of Josh and Mishka! :D

It's just a nice quote. :D

Anyway, yeah... I bought a cute hardbound notebook so I could start a diary again. :)

Pero grabe, I felt like I was in ME heaven. Books, coffee and music. It was awesome!!! Even when my mom was done with her meeting, I still needed more time to explore the store. It was sooo COOL.

You guys should check it out soon. :D It's at Bonifacio High Street. it's huge. Can't miss it. :P

God bless you guys, take care ya'll!

Nicah.

I am what I eat!

noreply@blogger.com (Nix <3) — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 05:38:00 +0000

You Are Japanese Food

Strange yet delicious.
Contrary to popular belief, you're not always eaten raw.

What Kind of Food Are You?

Yeah, strange but delicious. ;)

Life Verses. :D

noreply@blogger.com (Nix <3) — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 03:18:00 +0000

Just recently, I remembered a challenge our discipleship group leader gave us. She said to find a life verse. She said that a life verse is a Bible verse that best applies to your life, or a Bible verse that strikes you in a different way than other verses. So anyway, I decided to take the challenge. :) I found 2 verses that affected me most.

1. Psalm 73:25
My flesh and heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
I really like this verse because it is such a great encouragement and assurance of God's love. It says that people are weak, and we can't do everything on our own. In fact, we can't do anything on our own. So when our own strength fails, and when we think we can't take it anymore, God is the strength of our hearts. He loves us so much, and He'll help us keep on going. :) He's the reason why we can go on even after a fight with our parents or a struggle we have, or whatever.. :)

Here's a song that came from this verse:

Whom have I in heaven but You
There is nothing on earth I desire beside You
My heart and my strength many times they fail
But there is one truth that always will prevail

God is the strength of my heart
God is the strength of my heart
God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever, forever

2. 1 Timothy 4:12
Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.
I like this one, too, because it tells us that even the young, and maybe those who aren't as smart or tall or even as pretty as others can be an example to other other people. And for me, it says that I can make a difference for God in the lives of other people. :) And that pushes me even more to be a better person. :)

Being able to find my life verse/s is a great achievement for me. :) Praise God. If you guys have a life verse too, feel free to share it with me! :) Comment please. :D

God bless you guys, take care! :)

When the cup cakes,
Nicah

P.S. I miss you JI people!

Feelin' Fabulous. ;)

noreply@blogger.com (Nix <3) — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 10:00:00 +0000

Fabu. Faboolous. Whatever you want to call it... That's how I'm feeling. :D

I dunno, I guess everything's been going so well. I got my scores for the examinations, and they were pretty good. Praise God. :) and school work is still light. Friends, family life has been good. And I feel really good about myself. :) I'm at the peak of my ~~happiness~~ joy (joy- long lasting happiness) level for this past week. :) and that's really really good.

I do miss my lists though. :D So here is a list of the things that I need to make my life perfect right now:

Things I Need To Make My Life Perfect (Right Now)

1. A good book to read.
I haven't read a book in a long time. I kind of need it when I'm bored... and when there's nothing better to do. XD

2. People who want chihuahua puppies!
Let me explain. :)) My dog (a beautiful, chocolate-fawn colored, brown-eyed, long-coat chihuahua) is going to be in heat next month. I'm planning to make her have one litter of puppies. :D We already have a stud. :D And I'm really really excited for her pups! Problem is, my family doesn't plan on keeping any of them, so we're going to sell them... And I'm already looking for loving homes. :D

So while I have the chance to advertise... Litter of chihuahua puppies for sale! Beautiful mother, father is full stud. :D Expected delivery: some time in November, ready to take home in february 2008. :D P15,000 for male, P17,000 for female. (tentative price)

3. My relatives and friends in the states to come over here. :(
I miss so many people from the US. :( My ninangs, godsister, friends, family. :( I really wish I could go to them, or they could go to me.

4. Sleepover!
I'm inviting some friends to sleepover at my place this saturday so some people could go to a Youth event with me. :D I really want them to come. :)

5. The ability to play the piano and be perfect pitch. :D
Haha, in my DREAMS. :P

6. The ability to play any sport!!!!
must I say more? :))

7. A shopping spree. :D
To buy all the things I want. Then load my closet and CD collection. :))

8. A purtee dress. :D
Every girl needs a pretty dress. :D hahaha.

God bless you guys! Hope you're feeling FABULOUS!

Nicaaah.

Poetry

noreply@blogger.com (Nix <3) — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 01:58:00 +0000

I just took this test, got this result, and decided to post something new. :D

You Should Be a Poet

You have a way with words... and a talent for drawing the pure emotions out of experiences.
Your poetry has the potential to make people laugh and cry at the same time. You just need to write it!

What Sort of Artist Should You Be?

Forever
by: Nicah Santos

In your eyes I am special
A gift, a person, your child
Your Son, you sent to die for me
Out of love, a sacrifice so great

There is none that compares to you
Your love lasts forever and I can say
“You are my God, my all in all
I could sing of your love forever.”

So I wail and I’m crying
For those times that I’ve sinned
A lie, a cheat, a scam
‘Cause that most fateful day repeats itself
With the nails, the cross, the Romans
So I wail and I’m crying

But Your plan, so perfect
Makes all of this okay
For Your will came true
And now we’re saved:
Gates of heaven opened

So I say again
“I could sing of your love forever”
And I will
‘Till the end of my days
Because
In your eyes I am special
A gift, a person, your child

This was a poem I wrote in 6th grade. It's freeverse, meaning nothing really rhymes, and there's no meter. XD But I think it came out alright. I mean, I really like writing, but I just need practice with my poetry. :)

Thanks guys, God bless! Keep safe from the rain. :)

Nicah.

Pie I Am :D

noreply@blogger.com (Nix <3) — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 01:41:00 +0000

This is dedicated to Joshua :)) A pie loving friend. :))

You Are Apple Pie

You're the perfect combo of comforting and traditional
Those who like you crave security

What Kind of Pie Are You?

STORM! Bwahahaha!

noreply@blogger.com (Nix <3) — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 00:45:00 +0000

The storm(s) that've been hitting us are driving me NUTS. And I'm not even talking about pecan, or pea. It's COCO. As in, CocoNUTS.

My jokes are getting cornier by the second. o.O

Anyway, for those of you whom haven't heard ~~(you people probably live on mars or something)~~, the Philippines has been Downpour City for the past week. Thursday of last week, classes were cancelled due to the strong rains (by the way, I woke up that morning and STILL went to school. Who says we can't hang out at sCOOL during a storm? *wink*).

Following that big blast (or rather, pour), there were rains and drizzles, although that was just in Manila. The provinces in Northern Luzon were continually being hit, resulting in floods. BIG floods. Floods reaching rooftops and engulfing trees. Floods that pushed the people living there to buy and build small boats to get around.

Anyway, last Wednesday, classes were suspended. It was weird for us taking the quarterly exams because by the time the suspension was announced, we were already dimissed. :)) Oh well. Lastly, classes yesterday and today were cancelled (perhaps to build up the suspense of receiving our exam results?). Floods are continually being a problem to people in our provinces, and people living beside canals and creeks.

The report that you have been reading is actually what's been happening in Manila. I don't really know much about what's been happening farther away. o.O

Other than the suspension of classes and the very cool weather, the storms have brought about some good results. :) First of all, there was a drought two or three weeks ago. Guess what happened to it. :D Bye bye. :D The rain has supplied ~~enough~~ more than enough water to make our rice fields and vegetables grow. Then of course our water supplies have increased dramatically. :) Proving, of course, that there's a silver lining in every cloud (in this case, heavy, water-filled clouds).

But we can't forget our fellow countrymen (and women!) who are suffering. :( As mentioned before, the rain has brought about outrageous floods. Which of course bring about floating rats and cockroaches. Ick. But more seriously than that, adults and children alike have drowned and lost lives in this storm. :( last week's Thursday-Friday storm (from what I heard, I was probably not even updated) resulted in 10 losses. :( Siiigh.

I know God will continue to take care of us despite this disastrous event. Please just continue to pray for us. :) Thanks. God bless you guys, take care! :)

Nicah.

OTHER LINKS:
To learn more about Downpour City, for weather forecasts and results:CLICK THIS
My friend (who loves Pi/Pie), Josh, has a strong view on this current weather. Potential Al Gore, perhaps? Hehe. :D Here's his blog entry: CLICK THIS!

Proud Nerd! :D

noreply@blogger.com (Nix <3) — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 05:36:00 +0000

I got this quiz from Mishka's blog. :D I'm a social nerd, and proud of it. ^_^

What Be Your Nerd Type? Your Result: Social Nerd You're interested in things such as politics, psychology, child care, and peace. I wouldn't go so far as to call you a hippie, but some of you may be tree-huggers. You're the type of people who are interested in bettering the world. You're possible the least nerdy of them all; unless you participate in other activies that paled your nerdiness compared to your involvement in social activities. Whatever the case, we could still use more of you around. ^_^
Science/Math Nerd
Drama Nerd
Literature Nerd
Musician
Gamer/Computer Nerd
Artistic Nerd
Anime Nerd
What Be Your Nerd Type? Quizzes for MySpace

Bonding with my PC.

noreply@blogger.com (Nix <3) — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 04:16:00 +0000

I've been spending a lot of time on the computer lately. For blogging, chatting, writing stuff and most recently, rendering my drawings.

Well, yeah. There's the rendered Bellossom. :D and above it, another drawing... It's of Lapras, a Pokemon resembling a Plesiosaurus. yeah. XD I kind of rushed it, though... but, hope you like it!

God bless, take care. :D

Nicah.

P.S. If you want to steal any of the drawings, go ahead. Just don't remove my name stamp from there. :P under intellectual copyright.