ITCHING TO GO ICTUS

I was able to accomplish a lot of stuff for my application to ICTUS today. I was able to strike three events in one day and that is a very big accomplishment for someone with such a hectic schedule as mine.

First on the list was the Philippine Children’s Medical Center Apostolate. Though Luka, Yna, and I were all late (by 50 freaking minutes), PCMC Coordinator Daisy still marked our attendance (yay! Thanks Daisy!) for the apostolate. I was actually born at PCMC. Back then, according to my mom, PCMC was a really nice hospital for kids. It was like the Medical City of the 80s and early 90s. But now, just like any other government-run institution, it has lost its luster. A lot of kids are still admitted to the place, but the service is not anymore in par with its service during it’s hey days. I wasn’t able to do much since by the time we arrived, the other Ictusians were about to leave already. Talk about laaaaaate.

Next we went to Balara Elementary School for our Catechism Apostolate. Luka and I were assigned to a class together. We were supposed to teach the kids about God’s greatness as shown through his many wonderful creations. Sounds easy right? Not!! Especially if you happen to be facing a class of about 50 or so Grade V elementary students who have so much sugar in their systems, they bring hyperactivity to a whole new level. We barely survived the session, which by the way ended with a requested “Hip-hip Hooray” game ala Wowowee by the students.

The Children’s Literacy Apostolate I attended last Saturday at Bagong Silang, QC was literally child’s play compared to our Catechism session. Teaching smaller kids definitely works better for me. *sigh

Last but definitely not the least was our baking session, for the ICTUS bake sale this week, at Ice’s house at Ayala Heights, QC. Ayala Heights is so freaking wonderful! Ever since I saw it from Dencio’s Balara I have always dreamed of living there. Talk about a breath-taking view! Ice’s kitchen was filled with Ictusians who all helped in making tasty batches of chocolate chip-oatmeal cookies and chocolate crinkles. I never realized baking could be so much fun. I never really enjoyed cooking; I’m more of the tasting and eating kind of person. Watch out for me as I try to peddle our wares this week…and you better buy one!

*By the way:

Ice – thanks for driving us back to UP and welcoming us to your uber posh house!

Seth – your defensive driving skills should be honed more, and please stick to dishwashing, don’t touch any of the cookies…please…hahaha

Kor – easy on the emo-ness, it might spread you know…

Marc – talk about a free ride…kasalanan nung kundoktor!! hahaha!

Yna – good luck with the Julia fighting skills…show them what you got!

Luka – your HRIM skills really shined through!! hahaha!

I just want to show this little scene I saw while I was on my way home,,,is it weird or what?! What the f*ck?!

ORG OVERLOAD

My pseudo-blogging period finally ends with this new entry. Yeah!

It is frustrating to note that six out of my previous eight entries are all about my organizations in UP. If it isn’t a review of MCO’s events during our week-long celebration, it is about the many plugs PRAdS has for its launching events (which if I may add, are quite successful so far, except for the UPiktiyuran Na! with Smart, which will be moved to another date because of the class suspension due to typhoon Karen).

Having two orgs is hard work, especially if you are juggling 21 units like me. To make my life more miserable, I was under the delusion that I could squeeze in my already tight schedule, the application process of two other UP orgs. Yes, I am a masochist.

In one of my many moments of stupid spontaneity, I tried joining the UP Junior Marketing Association (UP JMA), which is notorious for throwing uber fierce parties, having a ton of members, and providing your resume a bit of respect and glamor at the same time. The operative word is “tried”. I invested a lot for my application process. I know a lot of the members already; I am even friends with some, and I even know an alumna of the org (who pushed me to really join the org). I got no less than the president of the org to become my “guardian”. I went to three of the org’s many required activities. I was also able to complete about 45% of the sigsheet already. Unfortunately, right in the middle of the application process, which is this August, I came to my senses and deferred.

The other org, believe it or not, is the UP In-Christ Thrust for University Students (UP ICTUS), a Christian org which is involved in various community apostolates around UP. I know that mixing myself with such a respectable organization is blasphemous at the very least (like what many of my friends and other orgmates repeatedly says…nyahaha!), but I am genuinely interested in joining the org. Remember my short sojourn at the Gawad Kalinga villages last summer? That experience sparked my interest to initiate change in this world, one step at a time (Jordin Sparks anyone?). Plus I want to earn some brownie points before I die. The prospect of eternally burning in hell is not comforting every time I go to sleep. To make the burden easier to handle, I asked Yna and Luka to join with me. Heck, they need brownie points too!! Nyahaha! Coincidentally, Anthonians from the year after us are also joining the org! It seem like St. Anthony did instill some sort of “goodness” within its alumni…not! Hahahaha!

Anyway, the point of this entry is that I deferred from JMA and not from ICTUS because:

- it seems wrong to forego God for a resuméable org

- the conflicting natures of the two orgs are too much to handle, I’m not schizophrenic after all…maybe not…

- I can still reap the benefits of joining JMA in another way…I am my own party!!

- the idea of becoming a philanthropist is way better than becoming a socialite party-goer…or not!

- if I didn’t have 21 units and two other orgs to worry about, I could manage the demands of JMA (the app process of ICTUS is relatively easier than that of JMA’s, but both orgs app processes are waaaaaaayyyy easier than the orgs in CMC…with a capital E!!)

I just hope that I can pass the app process of ICTUS, or else the point of this entry would go down the drain. Words of advice: do not be a masochist…JOIN UP MCO AND UP PRADS!! Hahahaha!