I don't know if this is the last time I will get the chance to write before I leave. I wanted to write so many things, yet time does not permit me. Then again, I could just be lazy. I've been spending so much time staring into space. Things are going so fast. One blink leads me to the next day. The next and the next and the next. Putsa! 4 days nalang. 4 days. Five minutes into writing, and I find myself staring again at my screen. Natutulala na naman ako. *sigh* Here goes.

Unexpected Aquaintance: Last Sunday, I got to know a very interesting person. After my solo during the second to the last Sunday mass of my life here in the Philippines, (It went great by the way! My knees were shaking!) I was in the mood for a good phone conversation. I texted only two people -- Yim and Ramil. These were two people from #pinoychat. Yim is someone I've already known for a month, while Ramil is someone I just felt like talking to, no apparent reason. Both of them replied to me "You up?" text. Only, it was Ramil who said his phone was free and so we could talk. The first conversation lasted for seven hours. Seven hours. From 1 AM to 8 AM, we were talking about everything there is to talk about. There was this connection between us that was very apparent; a feeling I don't get often. We had a lot of common interests, common beliefs. We talked about the past relationships we've had. We talked about romance. We talked about the dream of finding someone else -- of finding the right one. We talked about everything and nothing at all. We talked and didn't care about the night sky turning into day. We talked and had a good time. It was a heavenly seven hours. The next days after that, we still talked. We still texted. We still connected. It was still all there. I wanted to let that feeling linger for a while. It felt so good, I didn't want it to end. He would motivate me to finish the souvenirs for my debut. He would text me and check up on me. He would talk to me in the morning and talk to me at night. We would talk while we were working. We didn't care. -- He told me he loved me. I told him to shush. I didn't want to get involved with anybody while I was here. Not now, not when I'm leaving. I didn't want to fall for somebody. I didn't want to because it wouldn't work out. I didn't want to say those words back. I felt it, but I didn't want to utter a word, breathe it nor think of it. I was feeling it, but I didn't want him to know. -- I was weak-kneed because I said it. I damn said it and I meant it. I couldn't help it. The feeling was just an enormously intoxicating feeling. -- I was scared of leaving someone here, but my subconcious mind wanted that, I could tell. I was leaving someone whom I grew to love in a matter of days. Love takes time, they say. I totally disagree. When it happens, it happens. It happens just like that and it will feel good because it's right.

Takas/AAK Family: Last friday, July 4, 2003, I went to megamall to have a small celebration with my AAK family. These are my friends from Karate, who I have grown to love during the past three years. I bought a bilao of pancit malabon, and two buckets of KFC. I was watching them practice. I wish I could have had my last training there. I also wished that I had my camera at that time but I freaking didn't. (read: I didn't have money to buy film) I waited until practice was over, and after that, I took out the food and served them. It was nice, pseudo-standing on a pedestal at that time, looking at everyone partake of the grub. After most of the people left, I stayed with my dad and talked with some of my senseis. (Sensei Ricky, Sensei Chino, Sensei Rex, and Shihan) We were talking about what it would be like staying in the states, how I got my citizenship, etc. We talked about my mom, and all the hardwork she did to get us here. These words I will never forget: Sir Ricky: "Aalis na si Jik. Mawawalan na ako ng baby..."

My Debut: Last Saturday, July 5, 2003, I celebrated my debut. My birthday, as maybe you've read already, was a month ago, but I still decided to celebrate it. That was of course, the main reason for my coming back to Pi. The two days that came before my debut were very hectic. I was making the souvenirs -- different-shaped jars. I was excited to paint them. I even coated them with the UV-resistant spray that a relative gave me, and I finished them all just in time for my debut. I wrapped them all, each in its own newspaper, so that the paint will not smear. A little around 1 pm, we headed to Holiday Inn Galleria Manila (Galleria Suites) to check in. After getting to the hotel room, I had to go out to Starbucks to meet Ramil, Yim and Malou. These are fellow trivia players at #pinoychat. We chatted for a while, since I couldn't stay long. It was nice seeing Ramil again. I told them that I haven't eaten, and I still had to have some papers xeroxed for my souvenirs. I needed to cut them, fold them, and place a note in each of the jars. Ramil volunteered to xerox the papers, and get scissors while I had my lunch at 3 pm. It was almost 4 pm, the time for my appointment at David's Salon. After eating szechuan at KFC (a dish I have learned to crave for at the weirdest hours), I met up with two of my friends, Pierre and Cucay. We went together to the department store to get red shoes for Cucay. It was funny how she wouldn't let us see her feet. Around 4 pm, we headed back to the hotel. I went to change to my slippers to have my nails painted, and directed myself to the fifth floor instead of having the hairdresser and make-up artist go to my room. (Anak ng tokwa! P2000 ba naman!) I was at David's til past 6 because they had to blowdry my hair, flatten it, make little twists in front and secure them with pins. I had my nails painted red also, because the motif of my debut was red and white. And, it complemented the very vintage black dress with white vertical stripes that I had planned to wear later that night. While I was having my hair and my nails done, my photographer and I talked. He took some pictures of me while I was preparing. After that, I went down to the ballroom. Three of my friends, Cucay, Pierre and Gen were at the piano practicing the prayer that will be sung during my program. Cucay was to sing The Prayer with Tria, but Tria said she wouldn't be able to make it because she got sick the night before, and even if she made it, she wouldn't be able to sing either. So, Cucay was practicing solo, in case she would have to sing alone. A few minutes after seeing them practice, I went upstairs to my room to change. The photographer and the people to shoot the video were there. After changing, they made me pose for the video and for some still photos. It felt weird. It's been so many years since I've posed in front of a camera. Anyway. I did what they asked me to do and I did some shots. Thereafter, since we were running late, I had to go down already and meet my guests. I went down and was nervous to see that only a few people came. Instead of starting at 6 pm, we started the program at 8. My dad was telling me to just serve dinner and then go on with the program. I was getting irritated because I couldn't sacrifice the program for the sake of my guest's stomachs. That will make them leave earlier and not stay for the rest of the night. And so, hoping that most of my friends were just late, we started the program. The introduction was made by my very good friend Kath. When she handed me the draft, I got teary-eyed. No one could write about me so well like she did. Come my debut, I asked her if she could read it, since after all, it's her work. She said she didn't want to, and so my other classmate Ira read it instead. While the introduction was being said, I walked inside the Manansala AB ballroom arm looped around my dad. I sat on the debutante's chair and prayed for a smooth flow of the program. After the introduction, as debuts should start, was the thanksgiving prayer. For the prayer, as I mentioned earlier, The Prayer was sung. In a rush, I asked Kuya Cook, a member of the choir, to sing the male part of the song. Cucay and Kuya Cook did a great job in singing the prayer, and Geni played the piano so beautifully, that everyone in the room applauded afterwards. (It was a dang prayer guys!) Dinner then followed and was served. I bet all my guests were hungry as heck. -- Dinner time was my cue to go table hopping for my pictures. I first went to the guys' table. It was funny how the played with the red napkins on the table. Since all of them were wearing white polo shirts, they took the red napkins and accesorized it in their own creative manner. One friend, Seco, wrapped it around his head (yes, like little red riding hood), titled his head and smiled for the photo. That killed me. :) A few minutes after I finished my table hopping for the pictures, the program continued. It started with a flute and guitar ensemble by two of my choir mates and good friends Roi and Jonar. They played If (If a picture paints a thousand words..). It was so relaxing and they played it so beautifully also. (Ay hindi pa pala to tapos. :))