A Takeoff For the Second Semester
I can already feel that this second semester will be as sweet and as awesome as my first semester. Not that I can predict things a la Nostradamus but the courses I will take this semester are all awesome. I will have new professors and I will be introduced to the other interesting fields in the study of politics. I also have some affiliations that I’m pretty sure will make this semester more interesting than usual. This semester will just be short because of all the holidays and the breaks but I promise to make the most out of it. Actually, I have 18 cool-and-not-so-cool reasons why I should and would definitely enjoy this semester.
- I will be having my first International Relations/ International Politics /Global Politics course under the Political Science program. So the name of the field itself is already a debate. What is major major excited. Yay!
- Professor Carl Ramota who has a Master’s degree in Global Politics from Ateneo will handle the IR course (PS 182). Readings overload. But hey, he’s an awesome professor.
- I will be taking my third Philosophy course this semester. It is a course on Moral Philosophy (Ethics- Philo 171). I’ve been waiting for this since my first year. Philosophy is my first favorite field of knowledge! Finally!
- The Secretary of the UP Board of Regents or the Secretary of the UP System Dr. Lou Abadingo will be my professor for a Political Science statistics course. Wala lang. Just so you guys know. And I’m excited about it.
- This year’s lantern parade for CAS will be different, hopefully. I’m not saying that it will be awesome but it will definitely be cool. Now, that’s DOUBLE pressure.
- Freethinkers UP Manila will have its first meet-up on December 1st. Yay! Interested? Join!
- My dad will be home from Dubai. Not so looking forward to my dad coming home but the PASALUBONGS. Just kidding. But seriously, pasalubong!
- The University-wide strike against budget cuts last 25 and 26 was so successful! Now, prepare for the historic youth march to the Senate. Sounds like FQS to me. Re-creating history. Awesome, k.

- Political Science practicum after this semester. Excited. Senate and DFA, please.
- I will be taking my third course under Professor Risa Jopson. I just love the fact that my course leader for PS 163 (Political Behavior, Processes and Movements) is a graduate of ISS in Netherlands. Okay, this sounds like my future.
- Another semester to serve the students through awesome projects. PRESSURE! TRIPLE PRESSURE! :D Time to change my relationship status from single to being married to the CAS students.
- Green Christmas decors all over the metro! This is true heaven. Life is awesome like this every December. Greeeeen!
- Two more seasons of the OC. Life without them is just plain boring. =))) Actually, that’s not life at all. An episode a day keeps me grounded, calm and sane.
- GOAL FOR THIS SEMESTER: Uno for all subjects! All the way! Okay, I mean, NOT PE. But please. Crucial semester.
- I just feel good about this semester. Feeling good! Looking Good! One year of CleveArguelles dotcom!
- Finally did it. I was able to let you go. I’m so done with you. Strangely though, I feel better.
- 2011! Another year to look forward to! More awesome years in this not-so-awesome planet. I’m gonna party like its 2011!
- JANUARY FIRST. I’m turning legal next year. That day, year 1993, someone great was born! He was later named Cleve Kevin Robert V. Arguelles.
How about you? Do you have any reason to enjoy this semester?
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Few notes on the UPM Welcome Ceremonies and CAS Orientation
I attended the Welcome Ceremonies for First Year students of UP Manila for the third time. Yung una ay yung first year pa ako. The second time naman, I'm an FBC na. And for this time, FBC again plus ASAP-Katipunan. This year's Welcome Ceremonies is a bit different (the seating arrangement, Chancellor's speech and the program). But the change's for the better naman.
Few notes:
I led the LR of ASAP-Katipunan for this year's Welcome Ceremonies! Thrilling! :D This year's LR focuses on challenging the Aquino administration to jail PGMA and to prioritize the education sector. At syempre, patuloy ang paghamon sa mga Iskolar ng Bayan na tugunan at solusyonan ang problema ng lipunan. It was fun! But more than the experience, naipahatid natin ang paghamon natin sa mga bagong Iskolar ng Bayan. Naging maganda pa ang pagtanggap and they're doing their own research about "TOFI." Good! :) Aabangan ko ang mga freshies na ito sa mga pagkilos! Marami tayong haharapin this year Isko and Iska! :D
I attended this year's College Orientation of CAS this year for the third time rin. Yung ikatlo, bilang isang council member sa CAS Student Council. This year's CO is so different! Bukod sa hindi siya ginawa sa Kolehiyo sa GAB Roofdeck at sa halip ay sa PGH Science Hall, they invited UP ROTC to give a speech/lecture/discussion/seminar. Nakakagulat lang! Napakahaba ng naging pagtatanghal ng UP ROTC. Few notes on this note: Nakakapagtaka lang. Ang daming tuition fee grant at free ang uniforms sa ROTC. Nagagastusan talaga ito ng gobyerno? Military spending versus education spending? Could have been a tuition fee of another freshie student na hirap financially. Could have stopped the increase in tuition fee. Another note. Pansin niyo kung gaano karami ang kailangang palitan na kagamitan sa UP? Bulok ang mga gamit and most of the equipments including the classrooms were old. Pero bakit sa ROTC, kumpleto? Judging from the slideshow of pictures that they've showed, kumpletong-kumpleto at bago ang mga kagamitan. From the different types of guns, tanks and other artillery materials, well-equipped sila. Anong meron sa ROTC? Bakit hindi gawing bago ang mga kagamitan sa UP para mahasa lalo ang mga estudyante? Bakit kailangang pagkagastusan ng masyado ang ROTC? Ang hilig natin sa gyera. Keep this in mind people, education is our key to success. How much is a gun? How much is a tank? How much yung cannon na yun? Sana pang tuition fee na lang.
Can't help but rant. Can't help but tell this truth. Why are we not prioritizing spending on the education sector? And judging from Aquino, nothing will change. This will just be business as usual. Another six years of suffering. Let's do something. Are you one with me?
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Project 365: A Year in A Life
525, 600 minutes,
525, 000 moments so dear.
525, 600 minutes, how do you measure - measure a year?
In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee.
In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife. In number- how do you measure a year in the life?
-Seasons of Love, from Rent
I have a serious Rent hangover since the day I've seen it. I love the song Seasons of Love because of its lyrics. It's dramatic but at the same time rejoicing. Right? I'm mentioning the song because of Project 365. Yes, I'm on Project 365. I've figured that this is a good way to measure a year in the life. Corny? I actually got the idea from Bryan ( Kuya Bryan, LOL ). But I know that Project 365 was not his idea, i think the project has been going around for already six or seven years.
It actually made me excited because I will be doing a dare-yourself-for-the-whole-year thing. It is a test of commitment and constancy. Sort of. I initially thought that it will be about taking pictures of yourself everyday for a year. But it was kinda off because, i think, no one is that interested and that weird to actually like to see your face for everyday for a year. Right? So instead of that, I will be taking one picture a day of things (can be people) that made my day interesting or memorable for a year. Sounds cool, right? I will post it here in my blog ( weekly or daily or randomly) and will try to put some meaningful captions to make it more interesting.
This will be fun. I'd love to see the pictures after a year. It's like an album of what happened the whole year. It's a scrapbook. A journal. A diary. I hope it will really be able to measure my year. I'd love to see how my look changes and how things/people around me changes too. Cool, right?
I will be providing links of some of the helpful tips I've found on the internet on how to this project. Here they are:
> Project 365: How to Take a Photo a Day and See Your Life in a Whole New Way
> Tips for Shooting One Photo a Day for 365 Days
> Project 365: Take a photo a day for a year
I'm not a photographer or anything that has something to do with pictures. I don't have an awesome slash expensive digital camera. I just want to try this because I want to see how things change. I really think that this will be fun.I now have four pictures in my camera. I will post it soon. You can try it too next year! 2010 is the year of my P-365!
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Anyone interested in watching an on-stage Filipino rendition of Rent this February? Please? Please?
Popularity: 17% [?]
The List
I know Santa is not real, but I know my friends and relatives are altruistic enough at this time of the year to buy me a gift. Yes, this is the right day to post a Holiday (that includes Christmas and New Year/ My Awesome Birthday) Wishlist. Tomorrow will be my barkada's pseudo-party, or maybe it will happen today. Yes, we're all like that. And Christmas is so near, i think my aunts and uncles are reading my blog, hey guys! :D Friends and relatives, here are my wants.
Don't worry guys. These are just simple things. I know we're all in a tight budget this year because of the Global financial crisis done by the ever failing United States of America kaya the things here are all simple and, ahm, cheap.
BOOK/s. Something that is about politics, history, religion, or, ahm, well, something cheesy will also do. You guys know what I mean by religion. Please, don't give me a Meyer.

MEDIUM GREEN SHIRT/s. Green is my favorite color! I want a closet full of cool green shirts. Any brand will do! :D
PERFUME. Need I say more? I like Hugo Boss and BVLGARI but they're expensive. So, any perfume will do.
CD FOR A GLEEK. Yes, i'm a gleek. A CD. Not downloaded songs stocked in a flash drive or anything. A CD. All you need is effort.

PENSHOPPE's Stand UP For Rights Shirt. Because it looks like a UP shirt and it's speaking about standing up for our rights. But if you can find a SERVE the PEOPLE shirt that would also be fine.
LASALLE/UP Shirt. Yes, a fan of both universities. DILIMAN REPUBLIC is awesome.

CHRISTMAS CARD. Green Christmas card, FTW! :D
BLUPRINT MAGAZINE. You know it too guys. I'm an architect (?). Old issues will do. Will love them if it's new!

That's all for this year's holiday season. I hope my wants will all be given as gifts by my friends and relatives! But if you think that it's really the thought that counts, don't bother to give anything, just say, hi, you look awesome! That will be fine. At least you're not affected by the consumerism virus. :D
Enjoy the vacation! Happy Holidays!
Popularity: 100% [?]
010-015
010. Leadership Forum

Were you able to watch ABS-CBN's First Leadership Forum last Sunday or last May 11? If not, then here's your second chance. I mean, our second chance. Let's all watch the Second Round of the Leadership Forum on June 5, 7pm at the University of the Philippines School of Economics Auditorium.
It's a battle between Estrada, Lacson, Legarda and Binay. The event is open to the public but seating arrangement is on a first come-first served basis.
Sino sasama? Pupunta talaga ako. :)
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011. MaSci
My younger brother, Arvin Arguelles is now a MaScian. Yess! HAHA. And I'm a bit nostalgic. He told me his first ever MaSci experience and i quickly recalled mine. Grabe. Miss ko MaSci.
"As we gather, may Your spirit work within us ..."
And a new subject for first years? Consumer's Mathematics. Ano kaya 'to? Math na naman. Gah.
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012. Back to School
June 8 is the official start of classes in UP Manila. (Inangkin ko ang date.) HAHA. And I do think this also applies for all college students. Or may exceptions? Well, I'm really excited. Excited because
.. it's the first day of "kuwentuhan"
.. of Economics 11. Econ, here I come! :)
.. I will see my BioChem Anaks again!
.. i just love being in school. Naks nomon!
.. of PolSci 14. :)
I'm excited. It's the whole UP-PolSci experience that I am missing.
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013. Farewell
To all (PolSci '08) those who will transfer and shift, goodbye and I wish you all goodluck to your new field! Galingan niyo! :) Especially you, Lei, the only US in Tuks. HAHA. Be on the top, BAA-girl!
SM: Dien, Rich, Gelo, Karla and Lance.
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014. FBCs
Congratulations! But are we really doing well? I'm thinking otherwise. HAHA. Joke lang! Sturdier than Ever, that's all I can say. :) I'm so happy that I'm now a part of this family. Friendly friends, handa kayoo. :P
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015. Thought
It would be better if all students of UP will be required to study one Development Studies course. :)
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I saw this at an SM department store. This is very practical and very helpful. If you know me, I always use my umbrella, mainit man o maulan. So, if you want to give me something that I will always use, this can be it. I like this particular umbrella in the picture. It's very thin or slim and it's automatic. Sleek! Any dark color! We can walk and use this umbrella. Just if you want.










