Gustatory Pleasure

I think that jogging in the morning is the proper way to start the day for me. One, I'm up early. Two, I get to enjoy the cool breeze during or just after sunrise and hear the pleasant chirps of birds, instead of waking up and being greeted by mid-morning heat, pollution and traffic. Three, the feeling afterwards is incredibly refreshing (which I already blogged about in an earlier entry). And most importantly, I get to burn the fat that's inadvertently accumulating in all the wrong places of my body. Ugh.

I was able to do two laps of jog-walk around the Ultra and St. Paul. My heart raced and pulsated wildly, and I got kind of dizzy afterwards. I was drenched in my own sweat, my cheeks--my whole face, even--flushed by the increase in my body's blood circulation. I look horrendous after, but at least, I'm horrendously fitter. Haha.

Anyway, my main motivation for today's jog was to burn the calories I gained from eating at Charlie's Burgers in Brgy. Kapitolyo, Pasig. My friend Ivan treated me to a scrumptious meal of Black Angus burger with french fries. It was my first time to eat there and boy, was I satisfied with the food! The burger was not greasy nor fatty in appearance and taste. I don't know if the burger patty was grilled or fried, but I did not get a hint of distasteful oiliness out of it, unlike other sinful burgers around. The lettuce, tomatoes, onion, and potatoes were also fresh. In other words, the food was simply mouth-watering and delicious. Nomnom.

The store space and ambiance, however, were not as good. It was beside a car wash, and the noise from cleaning cars was not at all delightful to the ears. The swish-swash and black-plack sounds were even startling at times.

Also, the space was really small. It was literally jam packed with people. We had to stand and wait for around 15 minutes to get a table. When we did get one, we were almost elbow to elbow with the people seated on the tables on either sides of ours. Their comfort rooms and condiments were great, nonetheless. And honestly, the food was really worth all the trouble. Now I know what the rave on Charlie's Burgers is all about. My rating? 4/5 hearts (yes, hearts. I like them better than stars hihi).

I didn't get to finish my meal though because it was so heavy and filling, so I took it home and gave it to my brother. He was one happy teenage boy. My air-conditioned room smelled like cow meat afterwards.

Off to devour another burger at Brothers Burger Megamall later. They're having a 50% discount on their burgers today! That's another two laps of jogging for me tomorrow, but yay to good (and cheap) food!

For breakfast, we had pancakes with maple syrup and bacon. I wish we also had warm tea served in cute porcelain tea cups, to complete our makeshift English morning, hee.

Soak up the Sun

Ah, the long-awaited beach trip of my summer vacation and the reason for my two-week diet and pseudo-workout regimen (which didn't really produce much results)--the UP PsychSoc Kick-off 2010.

The kick-off was definitely the best way to destress after one busy and draining summer semester at ADMU and ASMPH. And of course, I loved being with my orgmates who made my four years in UP fun-filled, memorable, and awesome. I missed them because admittedly, I wasn't as active as I should be in PsychSoc because of my Mandala responsibilities. Still, PsychSoc defined my UP life in tremendous ways, ways that I am very thankful for.

I actually can't believe that I'm now a VOPS (Veteran Of PsychSoc) and not a POPS (People Of PsychSoc) anymore. PsychSoc was my first home in UP, and without it, I would not be who I am today. It brought me out of my shell. It pushed me to do more and show my talents. Most importantly, it introduced me to cool, dedicated, fun (and grade-conscious haha) people who made my life crazily hectic yet wonderful.

For this year's kick-off, we went to Bakasyunan Resort in Iba, Zambales last May 22-23. The nice things about the place? The free two-hour videoke, free one-hour kayaking, the public trampoline, and the rock-less beach bottom! The kick-off was great in itself; I enjoyed the booze, the sweet tokens for us kickees (AKA recently graduated members), Migo's supply of Skittles and Lifesavers Gummies, the company, the good times, the laughter. Thank you so much, VOPS and POPS!

With Marge the Large!

Lovely South girls that I will surely miss: Reg, Ate Khat, and Marge.

The sand was not white, but the place was still nice.

Reg getting baked. I love the print on her bikini!

Migo not getting a tan, so he just goofed around. Haha.

Reg, on the other hand, became sunkissed.

One of my forever PsychSoc loves, Reg.

Migo's kayak team. Too bad we didn't have a picture of ours :(

Abandon ship!

Mico, my phonepal! I will never forget that super random phone call. Haha.

Although I didn't get a proper tan, finally being able to hit the beach was refreshing. But I do hope I could go to the beach one last time before med school starts. I shall keep my fingers crossed.

Run

So I just ran one lap around Ultra and St. Paul. I am drenching wet, the taste of the salinity of my sweat playing with my taste buds as it seeps across my eyebrows and in between my lips. It feels so good--so alive, even--to be perspiring this much, as if a long-repressed sense of determination in life has revived itself in me. I never thought that I would have the will power to actually pull my lazy ass off the bed at 6 o'clock in the morning for something not related to school or orgs, change into some decent active wear, tie my shoe laces, stretch and do jumping jacks for 15 minutes, go out our front door, and run. I have recently developed an avoidance to any physical activity that triggers my sweat glands and I am continually seeking confines with an air conditioner or electric fan that could take me away from this unbearable heat, but hey, I did it. After a year of not jogging, I jogged. Hooray hooray!

I do exercise here at home, though. Those YouTube Pilates and 8-minute abs workouts are actually very beneficial. Yet running is different; for me, it brings a certain high and satisfaction. Going out there, running with the wind (and the early morning cars and passers by), hearing your heartbeat banging in your chest and resounding in your ears, having perspiration reek off your skin, and being able to drag yourself into finishing that one stretch--it takes a whole different effort. Aside from that, it can boost and energize a person in an all different level. I missed feeling so physically powerful (even though I am honestly pretty weak) and in control.

I know I should do this more often. With med school just less than three weeks away, I should really prepare myself both mentally and physically. I hope tomorrow is another bright, sunny day to go out and jog again.

I want to write more. I need to write more.

Count Your Blessings

Hello there. It's been a while. I wish I blogged more since my life has been very eventful recently, but then I had so much under my belt. So allow me to give an update of the blessings that I received in the past month or so with the help of some lovely photos:

1. I graduated from college. I now have Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology, hooray! I attended both the college and university graduation of UP Diliman.

2. We now have a new baby at home: Scofield! He's my brother and my brother's girlfriend's three-month old shih tzu. He likes to snuggle by our side, follow us almost everywhere, and give us sweet licks and kisses ♥

3. As long as I pass Biochem and Cell and Molecular Biology, I am officially a first year med student at the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health this June. ASMPH's month-long transition summer program was indeed tiring yet so much fun. I loved meeting new friends. The med school life also excites me tremendously. I probably just need a week-long rest and then I'm fully geared for it. I'm so glad that I'm finally living my dream.

I feel so blessed. Thank you so much, Lord. Thank you to my dear family. Thank you to my college batchmates and friends. Thank you to my new friends in ASMPH.

Pure glee. Life is good :)