Time off

I risked going home for the Christmas break two days earlier, to the dismay of my classmates who, at the time of my arrival in General Santos City airport, must have felt a certain amount of envy at the thought that I was having the time of my life when I texted them that I had a smooth flight, praise God.

Since then I've kept myself busy, amused, and entertained.
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Home, home, home

Praise be to God for His traveling mercies.

From the airport, I went straight to Auntie Net, who treated me to a lunch of baby back ribs, shrimp, and baked clams. The restaurant is called Ocean's Cave, located at the Sun City Suites in General Santos City. My brother Sean, who commuted all the way from Davao, was able to join us, too.

After lunch,  Sean and I met Tatay and Manong Ralph. We attended a wedding of a friend from church. Uncle Rene and Nonoy Jamison were there, too. It was weird, seeing old faces from church. Some were shocked at how tall we've grown. I don't know the bride personally, but it was a blessing to hear the couple's love story. I pray that the Lord reign supreme in Ren and Nan's marriage.

We decided to spend the night in GenSan. Auntie Net treated us to The Voyage of the Dawn Treader in 3D. Yes, we have 3D in this part of the world; a ticket costs about a hundred pesos.

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Sharon Cuneta was in class!

Today was my last day in class for the year 2010. I'm going home tomorrow—two days earlier than the scheduled end of classes.

This afternoon, I took pictures of classmates whose expressions ranged from blank to bored.



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On the air

I'm on unofficial Christmas break.

Since last week's exam, school has been light and fun, with no impending exam in the horizon. These days, everyone looks so relaxed—except my friends, Bon Buno and Byran Ferrolino, who've taken charge of the Christmas façade preparations. It makes me so proud thinking of these two.

I'm going home on the 16th (that's tomorrow), two days earlier than the scheduled vacation day. I booked my ticket a month ago.
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He opens a window

This was the closest I ever got to dancing.

The song, He Opens a Window, is from the musical, The Dreamer, and it's best understood when we know the context of the story. It serves as a commentary of sorts on  Joseph's life. You can read Genesis 37-47 for the full account. It's among my favorite Biblical narratives.

Joseph was his father's favorite. His brothers got jealous of him, so they sold him into slavery. He eventually worked for Potiphar, a high ranking officer in Egypt, and became a most trusted worker and companion. Because he was falsely accused by the Pharoah's wife, Joseph was thrown into prison.

God gave Joseph the ability to interpret dreams. One time the Pharoah dreamt of seven fat and seven gaunt cows; he couldn't make anything out of it. Nobody could, except Joseph.  So the Pharoah called Joseph out and asked for his advice. Joseph told him that the seven fat cows signified seven years of bounty, and the seven thin cows for seven years of famine. This led Egypt to prepare for the coming disaster. Joseph was at the helm of the preparations, having become the second most powerful man in the land.

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Detox

After choir practice one night, I went to the dress rehearsal for the Agape hand mime. I signed up for two performances in the TRP and was already exhausted, but others, whose org affiliations bordered on the superhuman, had it worse.

My mother asked me why I was "stressing myself unnecessarily," and I said, "Everybody here does it. You'll get crazy if all you do is study. And you still won't get higher grades if you lock yourself in the library."

TRP is a big event in Medicine, a time-honored tradition that spans generations; some of my classmates' parents had been there during their student days. It's a variety show showcasing talents that are otherwise repressed by weekly exams, hospital rounds, and our share of academic stresses. It's a venue for release. And the more you keep it in, the louder the explosion.
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When I die

When I die, I shall then have my greatest grief and my greatest joy; my greatest grief, that I have done so little for Jesus, and my greatest joy, that Jesus has done so much for me.—William Grimshaw