Sorry guys but I have to drown you with some boring dorm corridor stuff.

About a week ago, I have signified my intention to run as a corridor representative for Basement Boys in Kalayaan Residence Hall (dun nagsimula ang Eraserheads). To date, only two of us, I and Polo, have confirmed our candidacy. Juan is still hesitant to run — still have not confirmed his intention.

Honestly, this is my second time to run for an elected position. The other one as a vice president for the dorm council back in Pisay but I was not serious back then.

Just this day, a neighbor from the adjacent room did a very noble act for me to the point he annoyed me. He made 15 campaign posters for me and posted it on almost every wall of the corridor, floor’s comfort rooms and stairs. His act of fooling around embarassed me, that is how I feel on my very part.

Here are some pictures of the campaign posters:

A Publicity Committee member signing the poster for posting.

The Poster as seen from outside the dorm.

I am not angry to anyone, I am just annoyed of the fact that he posted such a number of posters without my prior knowledge.

I am still running for the position for the information of everybody. I promise not to be a victim instead a victor of circumstance,

Yesterday, I was not able to attend my Math17 class since I was still in deep slumber the entire period. My classmates who were in the class were able to see their Math17 first long exam grades.

Since I consider two consecutive absences a mortal sin, I attended my Math17 class today. I was uhm, ten minutes late. They were already discussing the answers of our first long exam when I came in. I immediately grabbed my blue book (it’s a blue book where we place our answers) and checked my score.

The score reads “41 = 82%”. Waaaadaaafaaaaa—, yehey!! I was quite confused how to react. Should I be sad of the results or be happy of it. I was not able to compare my score with my other classmates so I did not have a benchmark on how I performed.

I know for a fact that my parents read my blog (Hehehe). Honestly, I did not know how to react mainly because I’m confused if I should be very happy for getting such a score without much effort or if I should be sad for missing out nine points of the exam. I did very little preparation for the exam. The only preparation I could consider is the fact that I tried to answer my roommates first long exam (which was relatively easy compared to ours and other classes’). I did not bother opening my notes since they were too neat that nothing is written on them. Since high school, I heavily relied on my photographic and auditory memory ’cause I love listening more than copying notes. For all of my life I hated copying notes!

Nine points were just nine points. Nine points is just 18% of the total number of items. Nine points is negligible. I did well on my exams, I think.

Amf! I am, again, rationalizing. Well, it’s nice to know that I rationalize to reduce my guilt. Oh yeah, I did some preparations for the exam. I should be sad of the results — I studied for the exam, at least. I answered another class’ first long exam before my exam. Yeah, I should be sad.

Wahahahahaha, who said I hated crapping around my blog. This is my blog anyway.

Go Mikko — you did well on your Math17 first long exam. You deserve it!

Did this post right after my Math17 class.

2008-41437. Conrad Miguel E. Gozalo. Bachelor of Science in Computer Science at the University of the Philippines Diliman.

About the same time last year was the deadline of submission of the UPCAT (University of the Philippines College Admission Test) Form 1. At an early stage of the school year, we were forced to choose for the course we’d be pursuing — at least in our case, the UP do or die.

I was left with two UP course choices in my mind. Either BS Computer Science or BS Electronics and Communications Engineering. It was confusing since I loved both fields much. If I take Computer Science, the trade-off would be the possible “engineer” on my name. But still, I chose it.

Months passed, then by early august we took the UPCAT. After the horrifying (just kidding!) exam, lots of things changed. The confusion whether to take Computer Science or ECE raged. And so, I started to ask people which course is better. Some Computer Science graduates insisted that BS Computer Science is a lot better than ECE. The latter, also, insisted that ECE was better. Of course, they’d love their own courses.

Now that I’m in U.P. taking up BS Computer Science, I find more reason not to shift to ECE. It was only on our first meeting in CS11 that I knew that their are a lots of money in the field, when we were asked why we chose Computer Science. My answer to the question why CS was simple, because I just love it.

As CS11 meetings pass week by week, I start to love Computer Science more. It’s fun and I simply love it.

Uhm, ECE? I am still interested on the field. What’s making me love ECE is the microcontrollers part. I still have lots of time anyway, lots of time to study that small programmable chips. Still lots of time to learn how to make circuits.

For now, I’ll love Computer Science. Not because I am forced to, because I want to.

My frustrations for now would be to become a marine biologist and a pilot. I know I did my part, it’s just that I’m not capable of fullfiling my dreams all in one instant. I’m not a monster. I think I should be content with my SCUBA Diving class (PE2) and flight simulator.

But someday, just like my CS11 prof, I’ll try to fullfill them all.

Wahahaha, this post makes me laugh. I love this post.

Now, I’m forcing everybody reading this post to post a comment on the comment box below (if you are reading this on an RSS feed, at least visit the page to comment).

Postscript: Oh noes, I need not to leave the country — by choice and legal contract. I hope Google would create a giant office here in the Philippines, just like the one in Mountainview, California.

Another pahabol: I’m currently here at the EnggLib2 — chilling myself after the mind-boggling Math 17 first long exam. Amf, I was not able to answer one of the bonus questions.

Whoops, my post body doesn’t follow my title.

Hey guys!

Woke up this morning with throbbing headache. Then, attended my first class of the day, Math17 10 to 11:15am.

After the class, rode the Toki back to the dorm (I usually walk all the way back to Kalai) — then slept.

Then woke up by 1:30pm for lunch, prepared for my CS11, prepared for Buhay Coke Bloggers’ party and had my bath. By 2:30pm, I went to the EnggLib2 slash Department of Computer Science building for my class — still with a throbbing headache.

Now, I am in the class. Still with the throbbing headache. Ang sakit ng ulo ko. Our extraterrestrial (self-proclaimed) instructor is giving us lots of machine problems. We’re using Scheme, a dialect of Scheme. The headache doesn’t seem to affect the programming part of my brain much. In fact, to press date, I’ve done all of the exercises given as of the moment.

End.

This is how I write when my head aches. Woot! Huhuhuhuhu. May Buhay Coke Blogger’s Party pa!

Smart Bro is a wireless internet service provided by Smart Telecommunications, one major player in the Philippine mobile services arena.

Smart Bro connections differ in two types: the fixed antenna and modem usually installed above the house and the USB 3.5G modem, the more handy and truly mobile option.

I happened to use the second type, the USB 3.5G modem, which is actually capable of using 2G (the old-school voice and text), GPRS, EDGE, 3G and 3.5G (HSDPA) signals. I borrowed the 3.5G modem from a high school classmate. I tested the connection at Kalayaan Residence Hall of University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City Philippines.

Specifically, I used Smart Bro’s service in my room which is located on the basement and at the newly renovated lobby. First off, I’ll discuss my internet experience on my room.

Smart Bro @ B26 Kalayaan Residence Hall

The connection was virtually dead even if it was connected to Smart’s servers. A high school batchmate earlier reported that she can’t connect to the Internet. The geeky side of me went out and suspected the DNS server to be the culprit. I switched to OpenDNS and tadaaa, it worked. (more…)

Living my 16 years in Southern Philippines where typhoons rarely (once in a lifetime) pass, moving to the upper half of the country was sort of different. Yesterday was my first encounter with a typhoon, typhoon Fengshen also known as Frank in the Philippines.

Sunday 1am, I was quite amazed by the strong winds. The dorm’s basement (Kalayaan Residence Hall in UP Diliman [Quezon City]) was filled with raging cold air. It was cold, really cold.

Then about 2am, it started to drizzle. Raging cold air plus light rain — I did not have an idea that it was a storm.

Then by 4am, the raging cold air and rain sustains its energy. Then, the lights went off. Still no idea that it was a typhoon. By that time, my body surrendered and fell into deep sleep.

Past 9am, I was awakened by a female resident assistant’s advisory stating that signal number 3 typhoon hit the dorm. We were advised to postpone our off-campus appointments, stock food supply and etc. It was still very dark, virtually no light on the corridors.

It was the “end of the world”.

Hours later, the electricity was restored.

Then the rain stopped.

Then, bye bye typhoon.

Then, a peaceful night with no typhoon.

Then, an announcement that classes on all levels are suspended.

Then, slept for the night.

Woke up with no typhoon.

Did not attend the classes.

The end.

Yey, today is the University of the Philippines’ birthday. UP is now officially a hundred years old!

The day was filled with lots of activities. From a flag-raising activity to Oblation Run. Unfortunately, I was not lucky enough to grab one of the 200 tickets in store for the College of Engineering for the night event at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

The only activity I have witnessed today was the Oblation Run. (more…)

University of the Philippines — the country’s only National University.

June 10, 2008 marks my first day as a college student in the country’s premiere national university. A new chapter in my life; reborn in a new and more realistic environment.

For my first year in U.P., I am lucky to be granted a dorm slot in Kalayaan Residence Hall. This time, I’m more confident than the people of my age — after having stayed on a dorm, a home away from home, for the last four years. I can now laugh to people who brought literally a lot of stuff at the back of my mind. I can laugh at their excitement as seen on their uber-early wake-up time, as early as 4am. That day, I woke up at several minutes past 6. That time, the bathrooms were not congested already. I managed not to eat breakfast at the mess hall, as everybody did it, for a fact that I am not used to eating the “first meal” of the day.

The first activity the University had for us was the Freshmen Orientation Program. All freshmen entered the UP Theater — after assembling in an orderly manner outside while listening to the rallyists. Inside, we were grouped by Colleges. I was very amazed by our college’s freshmen population, which is a third of all freshmen. UP System President _________, UP Diliman Chancelor Cao and other UP Diliman and System officials were also present throughout the program. As centennial freshmen, we were given a more wonderful orientation with better presentations as compared to the previous batches (just an assumption). It was fun, especially seeing activists rallying up stage during the program. Another special thing is that a batchmate of ours participated the staged rally. Saya nun, first day palang sa UP aktibista na! (more…)

Hi guys.

It’s only now that I’ve escaped the walls of the Internetless presidential suite hospital room after almost a week of staying there. The first few days were when my brother catched pneumonia, the remaining days due to my father’s unusual state which I’d rather not stay. Good thing the hospitalizations gave no financial expenses on our part.

The entire hospital experience deserves a very good blog post. Better subscribe to my feeds now so that you won’t miss my superb hospital experience.

So now, I made a new niche blog before continuing on working on some important stuff. It’s a Tagalog rant blog, Rantistang Pinoy @ rantista.blogspot.com. Weeeee, follow me there.

I miss writing in Tagalog.

On one of my previous posts, I wrote on my intention of getting my very own HP Pavillion TX1210.

eBay-ing

Last Sunday (May 25, 2008), I won the item at eBay. The seller and I agreed to settle the payment within two days and have it shipped right after the payment. Tuesday (May 27, 2008) afternoon, I officially owned the item after settling the payment. The seller had it shipped right away after confirming the payment. Since the package was shipped under LBC D1 package, it was expected to reach our home within twenty-four hours.

Banco de Oro Deposit Slip — receipt side

Spoiler — a sneak peak

The Laptop Adventures: Flying from Manila to General Santos

Tuesday night, I slept very early; not the usual 8am sleep. Early to sleep, early to rise. I woke up by 3am with my growling stomach. And so I fulfilled my stomach’s request. I tried tracking the package using LBC Track and Trace web application. I was not able to track it due to some ASP.net errors. I also tried emailing about 10 LBC outlets nationwide to track my package.

The sun rose and still I kept wasting my time surfing the Internet. Since the first commercial plane bound for GenSan arrives at 9:05am, I tried to call the local LBC outlet by 10:00am hoping for available information but to no avail. About 9:30am, I kept on refreshing the LBC Track and Trace page of my package and by 9:45am the information was already available. The results dumped that the package already reached Mindanao Exchange the previous day and it was already shipped to General Santos. By 10:00am, I received an email from one LBC branch I contacted stating that the package was already shipped to GenSan 11pm the previous day.

When my little brother woke up, I convinced him to watch Witch Yoo Hee on YouTube to waste some time. We enjoyed the series while waiting; woot!

Then the clock struck 11am. We were still waiting for Men in Red. Tik-tak-tik-tak. Watched the show again then by 11:51am, one of our household members told me that the Men in Red were already outside. I raaaaan my way out of the house and received the item by myself.

Unpacking

I’m tired of writing. A picture tells a thousand words. For those with slow internet connections, the pictures show how I wrestled with the very secure and hard-to-mutilate packaging.

Before Unpacking

FRAGILE! (more…)