hapi hapi

Happy Fours.. :)

volleyball back-to-back

Ok, i feel like the biggest loser for being at the right place but at the wrong time. You see, i'm a hardcore volleyball fan and being in Japan and staying for a year is something other fanatics would kill for. Yeah, i was there when the Italy, Brazil and USA dominated the World Cup 2007 and got the first three tickets to the Olympics, but it was not enough. It was just the start of the volleyball season. I had to come back home and to cut the story short, i missed the most important matches prior to the Olympics and will miss the ever popular FIVB World Grand Prix 2008, of which the finals will be staged in my dear old YOKOHAMA. bad. bad. bad. If only I had the option to stay a little bit longer.

look at what i've missed

(WOQT: Japan vs. Poland)

Japan hosted the FIVB Women's Volleyball World Olympic Qualifying Tournament last May17-25 in Tokyo. And yes, my predictions were right. Though I wanted team Japan to top the competition, finishing with Serbia and Poland on the same ground and getting that much-coveted ticket to Beijing is good enough for me. haha It went like this. Japan demolished Poland, Poland sweeped Serbia but Serbia blocked Japan to tie their standings at 1-1. So much rivalry, so much pride. After all, these teams are ranked 7th (Serbia), 8th (Japan) and 9th (Poland) in the world. Together with Kazakhstan as the tournament's best Asian team next to Japan, they complete the volleyball list for the Beijing Olympics.

Here's the complete list (from fivb.org):

Women's Olympic Games 2008
Qualified Teams

1. China (host country)
2. Italy (1st World Cup)
3. Brazil (2nd World Cup)
4. U.S.A. (3rd World Cup)
5. Algeria - Africa
6. Kazakhstan - Asia *
7. Russia - Europe
8. Cuba - Norceca
9. Venezuela - South America
10. Poland (1st World Olympic Qualification) *
11. Serbia (2nd World Olympic Qualification) *
12. Japan (3rd World Olympic Qualification) *

* The Asian Continental Qualification Tournaments were played combined with the World Olympic Qualification Tournaments in Japan
COQT = Continental Olympic Qualification TournamentWOQT = World Olympic Qualification Tournament



---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Let's go local.

When the world had its eye on Japan, I had mine on local collegiate volleyball. The 1st conference of the 5th season of the Shakey's V-league had kept me glued on the boob tube every afternoon. So now, i know the new faces of Philippine volleyball. Wink!

Right after UAAP Season 70, I have to admit, I became an FEU convert. (Go Shaira! Go Chel! Go Abanto!) haha But a big surprise at the opening of the Shakey's V-league left everyone in doubt, FEU sported a technically new team with more than half of its champion team out for the conference. Out of the seven, including their libero, only three were left; Gonzalez, Morada and libero Taganas. I really didn't expect them to place and true enough, they didn't. But I have to commend their efforts and fighting spirit. Young as they were as a team, they managed to pull off several 5-setters with the more experienced teams (e.g. Lyceum and Ateneo) and actually won games for themselves. Hintayin nating huminog ang FEU, they'll be a deadly team to watch out for.

Obvious bang FEU fan ako? haha Anyway, fast forward. After I dropped my hopes for FEU, I was for San Sebastian all the way. I cheered for the Visayan teams (USJR and USLS), but, no, I'm a Lady Stag for this conference. Even more, when they announced that their former Thai import, Jaroensri Bualee will be back to play for them. Plus, I'm in awe of their quicker, Rysabelle Devanadera and their libero, MJ Pepito. They were my team to beat, I even gambled with my brother who was for Adamson, 'coz we both expected an Adamson-San Sebastian final clash way before the final four was decided. But lo-and-behold, something happened on the way to the finals. Underdog Lyceum of the Philippines stopped Adamson and Ateneo bested San Sebastian to force a double knock-out game. It was suddenly Adamson vs. San Sebastian / Lyceum vs. Ateneo. And true to their winning form, Adamson and Ateneo kissed the championship court leaving San Sebastian and Lyceum fight for 3rd. In the end, Adamson wanted it badly more than Ateneo, and won Game 1 and 2 of the best-of-3 finals match. As for my Lady Stags, they went home with the 3rd Place trophy after 2 duels with Lyceum.

Adamson Lady Falcons, Shakey's V-League 5th Season Champions

List of Awardees (from v-league.ph):
Best Scorer:13 BOTO, Beverly - Lyceum of the Philippines University
Best Attacker:7 JAROENSRI, Bualee (G) - San Sebastian College
Best Blocker:8 SORIANO, Ma. Rosario - Ateneo de Manila University
Best Server:7 BENTING, Angela - Adamson University
Best Digger:6 GATA, Lizlee Ann - Adamson University
Best Setter:5 SERAFICA, Janet - Adamson University
Best Receiver:5 PEPITO, Mary Jane - San Sebastian College
Most Improved Player:8 SORIANO, Ma. Rosario - Ateneo de Manila University
Most Valuable Player:11 BAUTISTA, Neriza (G) - Adamson University
Most Valuable Player For Finals:11 BAUTISTA, Neriza (G) - Adamson University
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One season down, more to come! Hello Olympics! :) See yah there!

exclamation point!

"... Everybody all for one! The real summer has just begun! Let's rock and roll and just let go to the rhythm of the drums!.."

teens class

ballet class

kuya ran, jeremy, kim, marlou, harvey, kuya kevin, kuya japs

Well, my summer vacay just ended, right on the stage of the Grand CAP Auditorium. 'coz in a few hours, i'll be tugging my big luggage around, board a plane back to Dumsville (Dumaguete) to start school again.

teacher eds, teacher ritz

teacher ces

Thank you, LCB-PAC and all the participants for the fantabulous recital we just had! (and to the lightsmen, who made us feel like superstars with the spotlight!) Two months of training, from morning 'til night was sometimes unbearable but thank you to all our teachers, who patiently and unceasingly motivated us to "point your toes! pull up! smile! warm-up properly!" and squeezed out every little ounce of dance, and discipline we had in our systems. Thank you, too, to all the people i had classes with and had the chance to dance with. I was up for the challenge to dance beside a company member. haha And our break time was a lot less boring with you guys around. And of course, thank you most especially, to our parents for letting us dance, despite the price. haha joking!

mel, pen, mai, cindy and me

mae, kate, anne and me

New friends, learning a new dance (I now know how to tap dance!) and a reunion with my first love, ended my summer. Now it's time to face dear old Silliman again. See you soon.

flashbacks

saw his ballerina sister at dance practice today...

flashback... he was a dance demigod...

flashback... he was a good friend...

flashback... [*gushes*] but really, he was just my kuya... haha

smile... smile... ok now, goofy SMILE! :p


3 days to my dance recital! woohoo!

fairy godmother

As a child, i looked up to my godparents as rich and succesful individuals who can afford to shower me with gifts to open during Christmas eve and on my birthday. (I hated those who didn't remember me. haha) I never really met all of them, some i just came to know because their presents were regular fixtures under our Christmas tree and some, because I never found their gifts under the tree.

But now, it's the other way around.

Meet Christian James, my very first inaanak, who just got baptized this morning. And meet Dawn, the first-time ninang (godmother). I'm now officially a godmother and i suddenly feel like a grown-up. Being given the responsibility to be a guardian, a guide and an example to this little angel is a little overwhelming knowing that someday, he'll look up to me the way i looked up to my godparents. I hope I can be just that and that someday, i'll be his favorite ninang.

But of course, kids will be kids. They'll judge who the best ninang is according to how big and how often the godparents send them gifts. As I am not financially-capable of doing that just yet, i already had mom to take of it. atleast for now. haha

happy april

2 graduations, 3 birthdays and reunion of all sorts here and there.

definitely the busiest summer month. happy happy!

yac yac's graduation

kuya's graduation

ice cream-themed grad party!

happy birthday pa!

twenteen!

paradise family outing/ lola's bday

pisay mini reunions

looking forward to many crazy fun fun days for the rest of the summer! mata ne!

bisdaks in the volleyball limelight

My eyes were glued and watched the whole day through the live webcast of Nestea (nestea.com.ph) and it's official; BISDAKS (bisayang dako) dominated the finals of the Nestea Beach Volley National Circuit 2008, both in the men's and women's division, which concluded in Boracay yesterday. Woohoo!! Way to go mga bai!

Cebu's Janelle Tabio and Florian Gutierrez of Southwestern University ended the final match with 18-21, 21-19, 15-11, regaining their throne in sweet revenge from top rival and fellow Cebuano team, the defending champs University of the Visayas' Janez Armie Igot and Jusabelle Brillo. SWU made history, being the only team to win four championship titles in the Nestea Beach Volley Tournament.

Third place was awarded to University of Mindanao-Tagum's Mylin Que and Liezel Manatad after they crushed UAAP Season 70 champs Far Eastern University's Wendyanne Semana and Shaira Gonzalez in straight sets, 21-15, 21-9. Adamson University's Rizza Jane Laguilles and Angela Benting came in 5th.

In the men's division, Dumaguete's pride, Rolando Agus and Arnel Amadeo of Foundation University fought a hard 15-21, 21-14, 15-9 game to topple down Cebu's Jonrey Sansing and James Ryan Rivera of the University of Southern Philippines Foundation for the championship title.

For the third place, University of Saint La Salle-Bacolod's Emmanuel Marlon Luces and Mark Sabusap outlasted University of Mindanao- Tagum's Raquelito Tayabas and Lowell Fabian in a 21-19, 18-21, 15-11 thriller. FEU's Edjet Mabbayad and Jerry Mabutol came in 5th.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

University of San Jose Recoletos-Cebu

University of St. La Salle-Bacolod

The on-going Shakey's V-League Season 5 will welcome, for the first time, two regional powerhouses. University of St. La Salle-Bacolod and University of San Jose Recoletos- Cebu will join the quarterfinals with the remaining four teams who didn't qualify outright in the semifinals, namely: FEU, ADMU, LPU and CSB. (ADU and SSC-R got the first two spots in the semifinals). Can these bisdaks make up for the no-show of UST and DLSU, stun the other Luzon teams and wow crowds? We'll see. We'll see. Fingers crossed. :)

*pictures from spikeithard.com and www.v-league.ph

hate post

i hate it when people insist that they are right when all the evidence is there, laid on the table. pilit nagmamalinis, when all the dirt is waving at their faces. worse, sila pa ang nagagalit when we saw their faults. tsktsk. whatever happened to the good manners and anger management amongst the rich, i don't know. it all went away with the money they spent. hahay.

its toll on me

yes, i enjoyed 5 days worth of dinner coupled with 2 afternoons of coffee larcepuccino.

yep, all for a good, cold night. or so i thought.

i woke up sooner than the chickens, running for the nearest comfort.

thank God, it was just 3 leaps away.

then on, i was awake but with blankets and pillows drowning me.

break the fast, my Mom said before she left;

it's a basic rule in pharmacology, gobble up before you gulp in.

i did eat half of a piece and 2 sips of choco milk.

but in a wink, there it went, like i never ate.

it left me weak, so i got some rest and snored.

oh.. hirugohan is ready, grandma called out.

i am starving. i badly need to eat.

fish eyes stared, ripe mangoes tickled my nose.

but Tommy said, "No, i don't like that."

it sounded like a threat for another run, so i obliged.

i ended up with rice and soup. aka LUGAW

jut when i thought i am relieved from the hunger,

there i went running again.

and there it went too, like i never ate.

again.

for the 3rd time.

i certainly hope that this won't go on for another day.

it's awful and painful.

ps: dear Tommy,

please let me eat again. i'll try my best not to get you

exhausted with all the food i take in. please please please.

i am for volleyball

Women's Volleyball UAAP Season 70

Volleyball Season 70 concluded with a bang when the Adamson Lady Falcons served it long on FEU's match point and ended the five-set thriller, do or die, Game 3 at The Arena in San Juan last Sunday. (though i just watched from the telecast by Studio 23. hehe) It's the Lady Tamaraws' 30th UAAP title as Adamson fought for their very first. The Ateneo Lady Eagles finished 4th and powerhouse and defending champs, the UST Tigresses, came in 3rd.

FEU LADY TAMARAWS

Here is the list of Awardees for Season 70:

Women’s Volleyball:

MVP: WENDYANNE SEMANA (FEU)
Best Scorer: MA. ROSARIO SORIANO (ADMU)
Best Attacker/Spiker: MARY JEAN BALSE (UST)
Best Blocker: CELINE ANNE HERNANDEZ (DLSU)
Best Server: RISSA JANE LAGUILLES (ADU)
Best Setter: JANET SERAFICA (ADU)
Best Digger/Libero: LIZLEE ANN GATA (ADU)
Best Receiver: MA. ROSARIO SORIANO (ADMU)
Rookie of the Year: MA. CARMINA DENISE ACEVEDO (ADMU)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I've missed quite a lot of UAAP seasons and V-league conferences and i'm still getting to know the new faces of today's Philippine volleyball. I saw so many promising talents but this player definitely caught my attention: Anna Camille Abanto of FEU. With her sharp kills, all-around skills and boyish charms, she reminds me much of my dear TAKASHI MIYUKI. I'll make sure to watch out for her in the coming games. :)

----------------------------------------------

When the Shakey's V-League first aired Season 1, there were Michelle Carolino, Maureen Penetrante, Roxanne Pimentel, Desiree Hernandez, Mic Mic Laborte and Cherry Rose Macatangay, to name a few, who ruled the court and gave television a new sport to follow (i say, revived glory). Today, 4 or 5 years later, volleyball proved to be as enjoyable as basketball with thousands or maybe even millions of avid followers cheering in the Arena or in front of the TV. And it's not just an adrenalin show, you know. Adrenalin + skill + parade of beauties all in one package. With more exposure, more sponsors and more airtime, i see a Professional Volleyball League not very far from here. Fingers crossed. :) Shoutouts to potential sponsors! haha.

So, see you soon at the much awaited Season 5 of the Shakey's V-league and on December for UAAP Season 71. Let's see if UST can defend their title. Go Volleyball! :)

*pictures and list of awardees taken from spikeithard.com and feu.edu.ph

hiyawan sunday

hiyawan sunday-slash-reunion. be still my beating-like-amplifiers-in-a-rock-concert heart.

--------------

Dahil sa Davao kami nakatira at kahit siguro katabi lang ng Araneta ang bahay namin, I can never afford to watch a Ne-yo concert. I could have killed for a ticket. haha So when ASAP 08 flashed their teasers for that Sunday's episode, I thought, it's not so bad after all. Ne-yo's going to sing a familiar tune or two on the boob tube for me to sing and dance to. So, I waited patiently, enduring some song numbers from the 'not-so-singers' who belted it out in fluctuating notes. (It was nice to see the Streetboys again, though. I bow to them.)

I was already gulping down my tinolang native chicken when Ate Mar called out from the sala, "DON! DON! NE-YO NA!" I left my food unfinished and rushed to the living room. The NE-YO number, or so I thought, wasn't a Ne-yo number at all! There they were, sing and dance ala Because of You, Gary V., Kris Lawrence and (drum roll please) DUNCAN RAMOS!!!!!! MY DUNCAN RAMOS!!!!! haha So, March 2, 2008, the Taylaran residence on Marigold Street succumbed to the reverberating shrieks of yours truly and crashed into bits and pieces. Kung sa bisaya pa, ga lanog lanog akong tingog, nabungkag among balay! After years and years, nagpakita ulit si dunx sa akin, doing what he's best at.. "...and it's all because of you..." woohoo!

*The moment the camera's lenses focused on Dunx, my mobile phone beeped twice in succession. 1st message was something like this: Dawn, nasa ASAP si Duncan. Dali! Siyempre, ikaw agad na isip ko kasi alam kong miss mo na siya. (from bea). It has been proven over and over again, me and bea are bestfriends. BEST. :)

The 2nd message was this: Nood ka gud ng ASAP. (from junaidi). I am very blessed to have a guy like him. uyab jud mi. haha Who said the make-believe boyfriend and the real boyfriend can't be friends? haha AHLAVET! :)

operation: let's play with snow

waking up to a snowy morning is just one of most beautiful things you'll ever experience. thanks to gino's email, i would not have noticed the falling snow. it might have snowed for hours now, i suppose, because the snow's already 2 inches thick. so, i knocked on marianne's door...

operation: let's make snowmen!

my mr. snowman

mr. snowman's family

given the fact that we are newbies to seeing so much white around us.. anything goes.. :)

operation: let's make snow angels!

angel dawnita

angel marianna

and by anything, we mean anything..

dear God,

Lord, thank you for the snow. i'm seeing my childhood dreams right before my very eyes. thank you that i am given this special chance that other dreamers might never ever have. you really never fail to make your children happy. childish as it may seem, but to us who have dreamed of snow all our lives, one snowy day was more than enough. but you made it two. THANK YOU, LORD!

music therapy

when eating your heart out just makes you feel bloated,

when you ran out of dvds to save your life,

and when everybody else is asleep...

there's always that song in your playlist that does its job.

(currently listening to southborder)

on partying and alcohol

"will you drink alcohol? what do you want to drink, dawn?"
"anything but not beer... kahlua and milk, then."
"milk? how old are you?"

there's an unwritten rule when attending a party: drink. everybody's doing it, anyway. i'm trying hard to fit in, you know. but please don't take it against me that i don't have the gastrointestinal tracts for alcohol. i won't take it against those who do have them, too. cool na kung cool. but i just came to be with friends.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

i just got home from a friend's party (all with alcohol and loud music) and i realized(for the nth time around), i'm no party person, at all. yep, i tried talking to people who come up to me and introduce themselves. but the conversation ended there. i can't make it any more longer than the 30 second "yoroshiku. my name's dawn," drill. i ended up sitting on the couch for as long as i can remember, watching MTV VMA's, eating chips and drinking my kahlua and milk drink made an hour ago, while watching other people pour second or perhaps their third helpings of beer and chatting with themselves. bored, while everybody else had something to do.

i remember one crazy time when we dressed up for a night of partying supposedly with MTV in shibuya. but since we were below 20, we weren't allowed to get in. so we headed for another club instead. when the door opened, there goes the small room, with dim yet flashing lights, crammed with sweaty and drunk people, dancing (dirty dancing?) to the loudest music i've ever heard. our ticket came with a cup of vodka, or so i thought. i got it anyway just to look like i belong. haha we had our little spot in the middle of the dancefloor, me and my friends forming a little circle. for a while i enjoyed the dancing but things changed so fast. here goes a guy or two, slowly dancing their way nearer to our circle. maygawd. why do they have to dance so close to you? worse, why behind you? total panic. it didn't do me good. i was wishing i had my boyfriend there, i'd feel safer that way. but he was not there and i'm freaking out. haha good thing, the club had a separate room for the girls only. a big, muscled guy was guarding the entrance to the room to ensure it remains for girls only. it was my last resort to escape the horrors of the dancefloor. so, i stayed there, sat down, gave my high-heeled feet a break and watched tv for the rest of the night. (or should i say, dawn?).

don't get me wrong, i have nothing against partyphiles. it's their way of having fun. and i've got dozens of friends who looove to party. it's just that i can't get the hang of the mixture of alcohol+deafening music+super close range dancing+strangers (read: drunk strangers) in one room. i enjoy a lot things and i enjoy them with friends; sports, shopping, traveling, eating, etc.

but definitely, partying is not for me.

4 days of happiness

i've been off for the past weeks. acads here and there, people here and there. blah blah. i can go on ranting for as long as i want. i tried eating my way out of it, finishing 1 chocolate cake roll in 10 minutes, 2 in 30, 15 pieces of mandarins, pringles, bento and peach tea on the sides. All, while watching 24 from sundown until sundown. Oh, hibernation lifestyle in the confines of my humble cave. But it didn't work for me when i thought it would. crazy. crazy.

but the past 4 days have been happy days, thank God. the Lord's rainbow after the rain.

sunday: papa called from home and woke me up at around noon just to let me hear Jay Durias singing the OST of a new teleserye in ASAP. "langit sa 'yong tabi.. la la la la la..." Oh, i love my family. They know how to make me squeal and smile like a fool. good thing, i'll see them real soon and i'm looking forward to it.

monday: the last day of class. i still have a nihongo exam next week though, but it's officially over. yeba!

tuesday: i was an hour late but it didn't matter anyway. we went ice sakting in aka renga, a first time for me. woohoo. 'di ako natumba, infairness. after that, we had ice cream in a store called cold stone,where they sing while they make the ice cream. cute. then, we had purikura and pictorials in MM21. laughtrip and child-like fun. talking about flushing away all the negativity in and around me. it worked.

wednesday: still awake and already 6:30 am, sitting by the sliding doors of my room while watching my last 2 episodes of 24, my eyes caught sight of drops outside. OMG! i've been waiting for this for 19 years! SNOW!!!! i stood there, outside my veranda in my PJ's, a jacket and my camera in one hand, letting the snow fall on my hair which looked liked big flakes of dandruff. haha i stood there, shivering and teary eyed, watching the rooftops change its color from brown and blue to white, watching everything turn to white and wishing it would never stop.

Thank you, Lord.

PS: I placed a bowl outside while it snowed. I have snow water! haha