2013 – A year of lows, A year of highs, A YEAR TO REMEMBER!

I sit here wondering how Christmas could fly by so quickly this year that I didn’t even feel the Christmas vibes at all. Then suddenly, it’s just a few hours before the start of the new year then it’s already the new year, yet how did I spend this day and the last few days at that? Glued to my laptop, drafting up essay after essay in search for the perfect combination of words that would encapsulate my first 18 years of living as I wrote my personal statements for college applications.

I guess that as this year comes to a close and another new year starts, it’s just right that I actually take a break first from finishing all my College applications and pause for a moment to look back at what an incredible year it has been.

A year of extreme lows and extreme highs, a year like no other indeed 🙂

Who would’ve imagined that my lowest moment would catapult me into a much bigger world where I got to venture into new countries and exchange stories with newfound friends?

Honestly, the year 2013 has been my most memorable year so far. From experiencing a right of passage in Prom to attending the Ateneo Chemistry Camp to all the SAT review sessions to tearing my ACL to joining Debate to writing for Inquirer to starting my own business to all the other experiences and moments that I enjoyed with both new and old friends alike, this year truly has been a year like no other and I’m glad, I can one day look back at my blog thankful for every single moment of this year.

2013 truly has been one hell of a ride. As I scroll down right now and look through my blog posts, I can’t help but feel nostalgic as I remember all the laughter and the tears this year has brought me.

Yet in all these moments were silver linings that have ultimately made me realize that anything is possible in this world for life is what we make it – something I will keep in mind in the new year, which will hopefully be just as memorable or even more. Ultimately, no matter how dim and hopeless a moment can be, there’s always light at the end of the tunnel for things do work out for the better!

“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”

When Art and Science Collide, You Get….

Art and science may seem like two completely different things but looking closer, they actually complement each other. Can you imagine a world without art or science? What kind of world would that be? Today, there are a countless number of things that would not be possible without the collaboration of art and science.

Based on their common description, art and science are worlds apart. Art leans more towards the creative side, while science deals more with facts. Although they are different put them together and you have your everyday favorites. From modern day technology and high tech gadgets to your favorite novel or movie, art and science played a part in making all these possible.

A more specific example would be the world wide phenomenon known as Harry Potter. You would think that Harry Potter was a novel based solely on the imagination of J.K. Rowling, but contrary to popular belief, J.K. Rowling got help from history and science. In fact, several of the characters, locations, spells and even parts of the plot were based on scientific and historical facts. Science, without a doubt, played a part in the creation of the hit, soon to be classic, but at the same time, the creativity and artistic talents of J.K. Rowling is not to be forgotten for she still has one of the most creative minds out there and the world wide fame of the Harry Potter series is a testament to that.

Another example would be in the field of technology, the advent of smartphones. Smartphones have risen and almost every person tinkers with one each and everyday. Its myriad of functions and applications make it a very efficient and handy tool in our everyday lives. Advancements in computer science is what led to the creation of these types of gadgets but we cant disregard the part art played in the rise of smartphones. The sleek and elegant design of smartphones make them easy to carry around and handle. Aside from this, the interface and design of the applications and the phone itself should be credited to the creative designers and artists.

Truly, art and science go hand-in-hand in making our world a better place to live in. From helping us become more productive through advancements in technology to entertaining us and introducing us to places like Hogwarts.

-DOitChoco

Kaiser – My Multi-Talented Best Friend (My response to the Daily Prompt: Call Me Maybe)

This is my blogpost in response to the daily prompt: http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/02/05/daily-prompt-phone/

I was never really a fan of smartphones or all those fancy phones. To tell you the truth, it was just around 5 months ago when I finally replaced my ancient stone-aged phone with an Iphone and the rest is history. There were actually several reasons that really pushed me to stop being a hipster with an artifact of a phone, and succumb to modern day technology.

Prior to my realization that I needed a new phone, I was a strong believer in the fact that phone’s are just for texting and calling and the occasional “snake” game if you still remember that pretty addictive game in old school phones. Every time my dad would offer to get me a better looking phone and a smarter phone, I’d refuse and say that I didn’t need or so I thought. The day my view on this issue changed was the day I started breaking out of my shell and socializing with others more often. I realized the importance of an efficient and powerful smart phone during this day and age in staying connected and in touch with the rest of the world.

Only the strong survive and one must truly take every advantage and learn how to adapt with time. Modern day technology has brought us such a powerful tool and gadget that we might as well utilize and take advantage of. Because of this, I quickly told my dad my new perspective in life and he quickly obliged to get me a new phone. Since he actually just got an Iphone 4s but heard that an Iphone 5 was coming out in a few months, he decided to give me his one month old Iphone 4s, and it quickly became my new best friend that I never fail to check on each and everyday.

KAISER!

I guess it would be just right to finally baptize my phone and give him a name. This may sound a bit crazy and absurd, but why not. So of the top of my head, I name him, KAISER! Pretty bad-ass? Well, it’s just right for my side kick who almost never leaves my side. During my ups and downs and whenever I seem to need anything, my incredibly smart and multi-talented friend comes to the rescue. From text messaging and making phone calls to checking out the latest news and keeping up to date not only with sporting highlights but also with what has been going on with my friends’ lives. And then during the times I need some cheering up or some moments of relaxation or reflection, Kaiser is right there with soothing music that never fails to calm my nerves and make me walk on cloud nine. Aside from a thousand other skills of Kaiser, what I like most about him is his ability to capture ephemeral moments and help me look back at them. He truly is a jack of all trades.

Life may have been just fine before with my ancient nokia phone, but I wouldn’t want to go back to those days, for life is so much more convenient and productive with Kaiser. Although, Kaiser sometimes turns into a distraction and has gotten me 6 hours of detention already (the full story of how I got and spent the 6 hours of detention is seen here: https://doitchoco.wordpress.com/2013/01/26/my-sot-experience-how-somethings-arent-as-bad-as-they-seem/), I still love him to death for he has helped me in so many different ways already and I know that I’m only scratching the surface. As I get to know and understand Kaiser better, I will be able to unleash a thousand more of his talents and capabilities. We truly are best friends, for we help bring out the best in each other.

-DOitChoco