A lot’s been going on and I’m pretty okay with the pace it’s been going through. Life’s pretty good right now and I think that this third grading is going to be pretty okay. Anyway, we just came back from La Union last Sunday and I’m still pretty tired. The thing is, I really didn’t have such a great time there. I mean, sure the wedding was a special occasion, but it would have been so much better if Ju Young were there. That would have been a totally different story to tell and one that I’d pretty much like to experience as well as write about. Anyhow, I’m still pooped, but we won’t have classes this Thursday to Friday! This is great—and it’s so early. This is great. I’m going to get to catch up on my reading and studies. I’m thinking about inviting my friend Noel over to watch some videos… Well, that’s about it on that subject. On to the other, deeper stuff…

Things have been going pretty smoothly this week. I think that it’s looking pretty great. I’ve got a lot of things that I’ve written about and I feel that a great burden has been lifted from this weary soul of mine. I don’t know if anything miraculous happened to me, but I feel pretty good. Good enough for another week of school

Things have been going pretty well for me these days. I’ve just finished the periodical exams and it seems that I’m at another crossroads in my life. I think that things are looking pretty good right now. I think my destiny is taking shape as it is. How do I know? I just do. Tomorrow, I’ll be taking the Ateneo Entrance Exam. It’s going to be in the afternoon, so I don’t have to wake up that early. I hope that I get accepted in this school, because it’s a good one and if I don’t get in U.P., this is my next choice. I’ve given it a lot of thought and Ateneo is indeed a good school. In fact, Jose Rizal, the national hero, studied in Ateneo for a few years. Whatever the outcome, I know that I would have done my best. In my opinion, that’s what counts.

Yesterday, we had this small party for my upcoming birthday. It was just as you would expect any celebration in this house. Boring. As usual, my mom fixed up a lot of food. My dad bought a lot of softdrinks, beer and other alcoholic paraphernalia. As usual, I had to smile when I didn’t feel like it and laugh when it was called for. Yup, a typical bummed-out day in my life.

It’s another one of those sleepy, lazy Saturdays. I don’s have much to do and it’s really bugging me. I’m no longer used to staying at home on Saturdays. I used to go to ACP training sessions during the summer and those UPCAT review sessions a few months ago. I’ve really got to find something to do one of these days.

This has been quite a damned week. There’s been a lot going on that I still don’t understand but I think I’m doing okay. I am finished with the Periodical Tests, UPCAT and I’m on my way to a better future. What more could I ask for? A lot. Quite a lot. Anyway, the UPCAT was a breeze. The questions weren’t that difficult but I’m a bit afraid to boast. I don’t want to temp fate into letting me down on this one thing. Anyway, life is like that. Things don’t just happen for no reason. I hope that the test results are okay and that I get into UP. That would be a big boost to my morale. And I’m a bit low on that area. Hopefully…

Once again, I’ve been hit by the laziness bug. I can’t believe that it has been over a month since I have written in this log. It’s nice that I have this time to log-in again. It’s been quite a roller-coaster ride this past month and it’s seems that this may be my best school year yet. This is great.

This week has been one of the most stressful in my life. I’m only beginning to cope but it’s been a really big effort. I’ve got class from Monday to Saturday and I’ve got tons of homework. Right now, I’ve got four, yes, count ’em, four homeworks in different subjects. Damn, I hate this. I hope that someday, all this will pay off and I’ll have a better, low-stress, normal life.

Today is the Philippines’ 100^th year of Independence. Man, it sounds corny but I really do feel good about this day. This is a milestone of achievements for the Filipino people. It was on this day that Emilio Aguinaldo first waved the Philippine flag (well, probably not him personally but you get it) and declared our independence from any other country. Sure, we were conquered by the Americans then the Japanese after that but that nationalistic attitude was set ablaze by that event. It’s good to be free. It’s good to be a Filipino.

School. The very thought of it races through one’s deep primal thoughts and those memories returns an answer called fear. One of the most dreaded words to be heard by a teenager during summer. It spells one thing: fear. Personally, it gives me thoughts of Friday the 13^th, Nightmare on Elm Street, Poltergeist, Exorcist and Scream movies. But just like any fear, you have to face it. You have to do what is right and what must be done: go through with it, hope for the best and be ready for the worst. This school year won’t be like all those others. I have to be extra good and smart this year since I’m going to graduate high school and I’m off to that great final frontier of school which is called college. Man, how time flies by… I can’t believe that summer is almost over! Three days left till Monday, the first day of school year 1998-1999.