New Blog is up!

Sillybrownmonkey has moved to http://sillybrownmonkey.blogspot.com. I regret to say the inability of WordPress to allow its users to manipulate the HTML code for customized layouts drove me away. I can’t host the blog so I can’t change access the HTML? Whattt?

Cisco Express Network on Wheels

I attended a Cisco Systems activity today, the Cisco Express, where they showcase the latest of networking technologies. hey rigged this cargo container to house routers, switches, generators, IP phones, a 55-inch Plasma TV, all the latest. That followed career talks from Sitel and Sykes.

I was really drawn in by the Sykes talk. For one thing, the speaker had a voice comparable to James Earl Jones. That was sure to draw you in to the conversation. Another is that he can relate to my current experiences. He is CCNA and and CCSP, and is currently taking CCNP. Imagine a place where we can configure routers to death… real world experiences and practical info would be picked up in this company.

During the Cisco Express tour, there were these two girls from Singapore who developed a project called RFID, where devices would pick up its presence and, drawing from a saved profile, would display preferred information that the person holds important.

Now, the mere fact that they were accompanying Cisco means that what they’ve done was real and Cisco snapped it up immediately. That’s really, really impressive.

What’s more impressive is that when I entered Cisco Express, I thought they were models. Yeah, one of them was as cute as a button, and even the professors accompanying us craned their necks more than once. Wow. Wait, not wow… more like HOLY SHET, ANG CUTE!

That reminded me of the song Jeepney, which goes like this:

Excuse me miss, mawalang galang na
Kanina pa kita kasi napapansin
Magkakilala ba tayo
Ay hindi pasensiya na

Excuse me miss, akoy nangungulit lang po
Ang ganda mo palang tumawa
Pwede bang magpakilala
Magpakilala sayo

Classes Resume Tomorrow.

And I have mixed feelings. On one hand, I get to leave the house where I exhausted almost everything there is to do following the unexpected death of my one and only basketball, and do something productive, like NETCOR3. On the other hand, it’s back to the books, spending money and waking up early. Even trade? Sure why not.

Thesis research starts this term, and I really want this to be good. I’m aiming for the CT-Thesis gold, though unproductive this Christmas break, hopefully we’ll come up with a great topic and break our backs over it. I really, really want this to be successful.

And over at De La Salle, we have Fridays off thanks to some experimental 4 day class week idea. And some of my friends are going to learn baking. Good luck with that. But I’m looking for a job, just to have something extra when the need arises. A Friday-Sunday job won’t be bad. If anyone hears of anything, hook me up. (Like anyone reads this.)

Self-depreciating much? Naw haha I don’t think so. I got my notebooks, pen, yellow pad, my schedule. It’s off to school. And the fact that it’s thesis-term, I might actually get a laptop! Wow, really? A Computer Science student getting a laptop? That’s unexpected! Wow, I can’t get over it. A Computer Networking major getting a laptop to, uh, network computers! It’s GENIUS!!!! All I can say is, “Finally!”

Here’s a website advertised by BBC yesterday, and I only remembered to look today. You’ve heard of time capsules I’m sure, but do you really want to dig up your garden? I’d be crucified if I did. And in this digital age, there’s no need! Here’s FutureMe.org, a site that lets you send an e-mail to yourself in the future! try it out.

After All These Years…

Last night I went to bed early because I had a huge headache and I awoke with a FRIGHT around 3 AM. I had the most frightening of dreams that only Judenites have. That’s right! The undying waking-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night and thinking, “Oh shit, I didn’t study for tomorrow’s Hwa Wun/Li Shr exam. ” Yes friends, only we Judenites have those kinds of dreams, and even now, 3 years after graduating from that place, it’s still there lurking at the deepest recesses of our minds.

When I woke up I was really thinking where I placed that god-forsaken lesson plan notebook… for about 7 seconds. Then I laughed, took a piss and went back to bed.

But in all seriousness, the fear of Chinese subjects have been imprinted in our minds. Comparing a Chinese exam to something like English or Chem, the 0.5 unit Chinese exam would take precedence over any 3 unit exam any day. We spent more time studying Chinese than any other subject COMBINED. (Unless, y’know… you don’t study Chinese and fail, which isn’t that big a deal for most of us. NOT.) I don’t study until the fourth quarter and I try and make up for my flat 70 grade. (which I do, so there.) No summer classes here!

I can still envision sitting in class, listening to Daga, Cory, Or, Elvis, Tang Mama and Gulay droning on about this emperor or that general, this flower or Hemingway’s novel, wondering where they extracted the 10 to 15 portions to memorize. Not to mention the 100+ definitions to cram in, just to flail unsuccessfully trying to remember a word at the tip of your tongue. “I know it, I just read it… but… no it’s gone. *Insert curse here*!”

SugarFree – Fade Away

Don’t you ever wonder where all your happy thoughts have gone?
In case you don’t remember, we were Peter Pans for a day.
You say it’s all in a day’s work, but days will turn into weeks
And on and on, we go ’til we just forget, we forget.

There goes your world on a train
Catch it cause it’s making its last trip.
Time don’t take it away.
Don’t take it away.
Don’t take it all away.

When we move to the left, then we move to the right
Forward never backward ’til the moment’s gone, we all fade away.
Spin around, don’t make a sound, we know time keeps moving on
Until your moment’s gone, we all fade away.

Make the most of your time, because as soon as you know it, it will be time to go. Keep those happy memories close to your heart, and you will be young forever. And lastly, don’t be a slave to your daily routines. Be impulsive! Day in and day out you feel hampered by work or school, just relax and everything will play itself out. Get a close friend and just chill.

I was bored the entire day. On impulse, I had dinner with Richmond and Phoebe, and we went to Starbucks with Ryan and FO. It was a great night and we really bonded. That’s what life is ultimately about. Enjoying life with friends and family. Living your life to the fullest, you always hear that phrase. Doesn’t that piss you off? Why? What exactly does that mean?

It means be the best you can be. Help others. Be happy. Laugh a lot. Enjoy life. Have lots of close friends. Be content. You don’t have to be rich to live a full life. You don’t need the latest gadgets or other crap, are you hungry? Thirsty? Are you illiterate? Are you well-clothed? Are you loved? Boom, you have lived a full life.

“You should always see the best of people.” That’s my motto and I try to live by it. That means trying to push out all the negative thoughts about people. Deviating from my family, especially a few relatives who look down on Filipinos. Well, I guess that way of thinking paid off.

So there I was, after eating dinner at Golden Fortune with Richmond, Phoebe and her sibs, we stayed at Starbucks and met up with FO, Ryan and his “date”and talked til 11:30. I couldn’t find a jeep to where I have to go at Recto, so I ended up taking a cab. he started talking to me and I kinda enjoyed it. Greeted me a happy new year and such. Now if I was a different person I would have ignored him, or distrusted him. But he was friendly and talked about his family and how happy they were.

The most memorable part of our conversation! He asked if I have a girlfriend and I said no. Then he asked what year I am in now. So I told him, third year college. “Puwede na yan! Magkashota ka na para matikman mo na ang mundo.” Wow.

Then he asked if I was a Catholic, do I observe mass and when was the Chinese New Year and all that. Asked about Happy Burger as well and, jokingly of course, asked a discount and such. You know, if he does come in and eat at our place, I wouldn’t mind. I might even treat him anytime he walks in.

Gil, Happy New Year to you as well.