the kangaroo communique --> back-up style!

H-hahahaha, I suppose a somewhat monthly update is better than no update at alll...

Hi gayz. Belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and all that jazz. My life? It has been nothing but crazy as of late, but in a good way.

SO AS OF LAST ENTRY I said I was going to SG, and I did, and it was really fun because khursten was with me and we stayed with tasogareika, which meant that we got to bug her 24/7, which we did. The conference was also super cool, because the topics were awesome, and I met people, and I also met this lady whose papers I actually refer to in my papers, which is the academic equivalent of a celebrity orgasm.

Going home meant going back to the Christmas rush, which wasn't so bad - didn't end up going to Baguio with the family, but I did give myself an early vacation. (I deserved it, okay. T_T) The break was just what I needed to get myself back on track, since we had our usual huge-ass gathering at home, and my amazing cousin got my bro and I Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (THE ENDING OF WHICH IS TYPICALLY WHAT THE FUCK). New Year's Eve, however, was slightly different, because a family friend of my father's invited our clan to spend New Year's with them in the kick-ass resort that they own.

Fireworks, free flowing booze, clubbing music and awesome accommodations. For those two days, all was right with the world.

ANYWAY SO. As those of you on Plurk already know, I won't be finishing my semester with Ateneo this year - this is because NUS offered me a research grant. ...Sort of. More like, I was given a strong referral, and now I'm waiting to see if the my proposal is good enough for them. How this happened? Just ask me; I don't want to talk about it online. This is kind of a win-win situation for me, because if I do end up really getting in, I'm spending the next two months in Singapore and getting paid even more for work that I love to do even more than teaching. If I don't actually make it, then at least I got to escape from a batch of kids that I didn't really enjoy teaching.

Of course, I'd prefer it if I got in, s-so. Here's hoping.

As it is, I have done all the preparations on my end, so I just need their word and I'm good to go. The English Department was real sweet about me going for a bit then coming back to teach for the next school year, and I managed to drop all of my classes and take a leave without too much hassle.

Oh yeah. I am writing again, more or less regularly. It is an amazing feeling.

...This could be a problem. orz I know what I need to do, though, for that last paper submission. Beyond that, I've got my last set of readings for my grad studies class, then a crap load of papers to check. Generally, I should be fine.

Regarding the Heavy Rain playthrough that I'm working with in my Literature 13 class: the kids chose the saw on the third trial.

Yeah, I don't even know. XD

Met up with omnicrescence after an Extremely Long Time, and it was amazing. Also got to hang out with khursten in her office before going home. tasogareika trolling occurred over the internet.

TOMORROW WILL BE FUN TOO because Khursten, Yukeh, Mica and I will be traipsing over to Mahar's place to christen his new kitchenette. It'll be a nice way to top off my last week of formal classes, I think, before the final exam, paper and grade rush eats me.

Oh yeah: the article I presented in L.A. has been published in Volume 8, Issue 4 of the International Journal of Humanities.

Things are looking pretty good, if I do say so myself.

So I tell myself that I'm going to, y'know, actually update this properly and get back to real blogging and stuff.

Then I get my PSP back and open P3P.

ANYWAY QUICK ONES:

School will be out in two weeks. Freedom is in sight.

Gouto is fatter and cuter now.

My Lit 13 kids have started Heavy Rain - they failed to brush their teeth.

Busier than ever in soul_campaign, because Mustang.

New seasons for a lot of my usual shows have started up, but I'm so behind in marathoning things, it ain't funny.

Seriously considering a formal hiatus from all RP-related activities to, y'know, actually write.


A FRIENDS CUT IS IN ORDER HERE, I THINK. I just scrolled through 440 entries, man. +_+ In the meantime:

amnesty;

Just in case you think it's time to let go, or don't even remember why you friended me in the first place. No hard feelings, guaranteed. Oh, and if I've cut you, I hope you understand, as well.

Oh.

Well.

Shit, it's been a while. I really suck at updating this thing once vacation starts, huh. o_o

So anyway, last week of school was pretty nifty - wrapped up lessons, had a Christmas party with the department (although I was only really able to stay for the food, um), sent my kids off without any real holiday assignments since their other profs are probably going to fill their breaks in with stuff that they're not going to do anyway (we also had Christmas parties in my En12 classes and a free cut for my Lit14ers), then zoomed off to Makati with khursten last Friday to celebrate Faith's birthday. Slept over at Khursten's place, of course, since the parentals don't like me traveling alone late at night - but "sleeping over", of course, is always a lie. XD

A-anyway, Khursten was kind enough to take me out to Alabang last Saturday morning/afternoonish, because Peter and I had planned to go out and see my brother Pio, his wife Mai Mai, and our cutest (only) little godchild Mimi. We hung out with them for a while (and witnessed the shiny that is a PS3) before we went off to Greenhills to buy our OWN PS3.

(Note: the PS3 is possibly the REAL reason why I've missed out on updating here.)

It's been a while since I had a date with my little brother. I missed it terribly. ;;

Most of Sunday was eaten up by the Banaag Family Reunion, which was kind of meh and kind of cool for me all at the same time (I've never been big on the family thing). AND FROM THEN ON, I HAVE BEEN ROLLING AROUND AT HOME, ALTERNATELY PLAYING VALKYRIA CHRONICLES AND FICCING CHRISTMAS GIFTS.

Oh, but I did go out with the girls yesterday. ALL YOU CAN EAT YAKINIKU FOR 500 PESOS/11-12 DOLLARS, FUCK YES.

---

Two days before Christmas, and six days after that, it'll be 2010.

I'm always vaguely amazed by that.

Will have some memes lined up to figure out how 2009 has been, and to properly introduce myself to the flist, for those who know me, don't know me, and for myself.




P.S. For those of you who aren't following stitchedophelia, I've been posting up the fics people asked for on my holiday requests post bit by bit. Master list will go up here on Christmas day, and I may or may not be a little late with some of them. WISH ME LUCK.