Nixxi | Tagline Unnecessary.

The overzealous folks at Ateneo scheduled November 3rd to be the start of classes for the second semester of the school year. But in truth, with late enrollees, adding and dropping, the holidays – school officially starts tomorrow. And in the eve of a staggering change, I wax poetic of the steps I have taken, both deliberate and unplanned, in order to bring myself here.

Any good story of redemption begins with a train wreck. Dumaguete has always been a safe haven, ask anyone who has been transplanted there. It is an idyllic town where they come as students at first, young and full of promise, and leave as educated adults. What they never fail to mention is the sense of being lulled into a bubble where everything is comfortable, easy and uncomplicated. Dumaguete is very easy to love but I remember resenting being sent there. After seeing what the city has to offer, a small town seems too cramped, too provincial.

But it grows on you, and what Dumaguete lacks in night life, shopping malls and pace, it more than makes up with charm and warmth and ease. My adult life has been spent shuffling between two cities that I love with fervent admiration equally. Not many can lay claim to have been influenced greatly by living in two cities, because one would always be relegated as the home town. But this fractured years that I have spent between these cities are nothing more than magnificent and cruel that I often feel torn.

I had every intention to come back in August but significant things were set in motion. I found myself extending and re-scheduling my flights twice before I gave up and realized that it was beyond my control. And all of a sudden, I was talking to friends about school and education and my future. Before I knew it, I was filing my reinstatement papers and enrolling.

Going back to school is tough. I’ve been employed for a long enough time to be comfortable with earning my own money. Having to go back to a student allowance is a challenge. But I’m getting old and I have to go somewhere with my life. I cannot go on with just existing and going from one post to the next. I owe it to myself to move and conquer my greatest hurdle – higher education.

Wish me luck and pray for me because the hardest things are yet to come.

Also, how great is Ceremonials? The new Florence and the Machine album. I can’t seem to get enough of it.

Ciao.

I know I’ve been neglecting this blog. I’ve been a very busy bee, you see. (LOL that rhymed) Between re-enrolling, 2 jobs, online gaming/farming, TV shows, decorating my new room, and well, life in general, I’ve hardly time for a solid 8 hours of sleep, let alone quiet time to collate my thoughts into an entry.

But Sundays are a god-send. I need a break. But the prospect of that is out the window. I’m back in school, with srs subjects this time. Haha. I say that because the last time I enrolled, I got crappy subjects that don’t really count. I’m not sure if that makes any sense but I’ve got 2 major subjects this sem. I’ve got the entire 2 years planned out and failure is not an option.

I actually believe I’ve got a shot this time around. I mean, the whole drinking everyday stage has passed. Seriously. I still bond with friends over the weekend but I don’t make it a priority. Last time, I didn’t give it my all. It was a half-assed half-baked plan to knock the socks off this higher education crap. But now? I can hold my head high and demand “Bring It”.

Funny how around this time last year, I was busy moving into my new room in Dumaguete. Buying sheets, mattresses, wiring and stuff. Remember that?! Yeah. And now I’ve got yet another brand new room in Davao after living in a dormitel for the past 3 months. I’m moving back for good. Leaving the small town behind and never looking back.

Pictures will follow.

Stick around, I might actually pull this off. Or turn it into another trainwreck. Whatever. As it turns out, everything’s up to me.

Absolute photo dump. Too many stories to tell, too little time. July, August, September. It’s all been a blur. Out of town trips, long weekends, beaches, life and love.

I’ll be returning to the island in a couple of weeks. I have a palpable feeling that its going to be the last and final time.

All these photos were taken one boring Sunday. Pasta with the half-siblings. Begged Sister to take some solo pictures of me for posterity. Lulz ensued.

LOL awkward leg is awkward.

Is this what 25 looks like? I say, not bad. Not bad at all.

And with the siblings in our front yard. Clicky to embiggen.