Saving myself a gallon of coffee at a time.

October was definitely a tough month and no motivation has touched me, even a single pinch or poke. All I thought were problems that aren't even mine in the beginning. Tough training. Aside from that, midterms were just flying away like I haven't seen them coming. Now, I wish I would already message my Psychology professor and tell him that I missed my first midterm.

When I was in Philippines, October was usually a time for happiness or solitude or grief. I was mainly happy not because getting high grades was second nature but because the term is done. In Canada, October for me is a time for realization. The bad realization that I haven't been in class for too long. It is such a bitch to ask classmates for notes.

The formula for catching up is easy but takes lots of time. A day spent in the library is probably a day you'll never regret. It is the day times all the days of the week and times four because you'll spend quality time with yourself and your books for the fair fraction of your monthly schedule.

Expensive starbucks can sometimes be of help because it is just right in the corner of the library. My first meal of the day is coffee and some apple fritters. It is one of those times where a cup of coffee is just my first of the next fifteen cups to drink on a single day, I'm glad that my diuretics aren't complaining. I'm just probably mindless.

I found refuge in coffee. I hope it's a good thing.

So, where are the beers?

Just another Odyssey

I was browsing the photos from the flicker account of IIUM AUDC a few days ago. I realized that two years had already past since I was at Ateneo AUDC- it was last 2006. It is safe to say that it was my first international university debate tournament and my actual first tournament in the world of debating.

Being in Ateneo was definitely great time. After that, I missed the ITB AUDC as well as the recently concluded IIUM AUDC. I don't know when I will be joining again the 'trois a trois' parliamentary. However, I always keep myself updated when I always check the tabs at the end of each AUDC. Thanks to Colm Flynn or Alfred Snider.

Was it the Glenn Effect? Because he hasn't won many major tournaments yet. Or was it the Gica Effect? The new member of the A-team. Or was it the Chars Effect? Whatever that is. In any way, I think they could have done better. Four consecutive wins is probably too much for an institution.

So this is thanksgiving?

[Photo courtesy of Google Images]

Celebrations in Canada could be the lamest of all. The second sunday of October is Thanksgiving and I don't feel the atmosphere of thanksgiving. At all. What is thanksgiving anyway? Although this is my second thanksgiving in this country. It has always been about turkey and potatoes: food. Where is thanksgiving there? It's a very commercialized celebration where turkeys run for their lives. Thank you but I'd rather stick with my chicken.

Post-Cusid Atlantic Novices 2008 Entry

Trying Canadian Parliamentary is a-ok. My first impression was a shock but eventually I fully understood why they only need four individuals debating (two on each side of the house). Throughout the Atlantic Novices Debate, I performed two tasks and only two tasks. I am either the Minister of the Crown if we were on the Government side: or, I could be the Member of the Opposition if we were on the Opposition. There is a logical sense to this and I'll explain that later.

My teammate, Andrew, has higher scores than me and I'm not bitter on that. Well, he should have higher scores, after all, he's a Political Science Major from University of British Columbia who transferred to University of New Brunswick. I'm actually impressed by his pool of knowledge that in almost every debate I will ask him about the status quo, and yes, he is that smart. It's scary that he almost know everything.

The debates were okay for most part and some were just painful to watch. I believe that we should be in the Semifinals but thanks to the very talented tabs officials, they put us up against Dalhousie B twice. It would have been better if we were government on the second debate but we were opposition which sucks because they run very tight cases or very isolated cases that I as a common person wouldn't even care about knowing. (Talk about mercenaries and Iraq!).

Debate 1: University of St. Francis Xavier (St. FX) B vs. University of New Brunswick (UNB) A

Those kids ran a mandatory civic class for Grade 12 students in High School. Not bad of a case but it wasn't that good either. Whatever! They're good speakers though.

Debate 2: UNB A vs. St. FX A

My teammate and I ran a case that Turkey should be approved by European Union to be part of it. And we won (not because there was a Bulgarian judge who was one of the adjudicator)!

Debate 3: UNB A vs. Dalhousie B

I was so pissed that we lost in this round. Thanks to Myles whose judging at the round was irrelevant. Very irrelevant that he called my team 'socialist'. Shame! I just hope he listened to our set-up more and not stare on the chair in front of him during my speech.

Debate 4: St. FX C vs. UNB A

Since I was so pissed during the previous round, I exhausted all those anger in this round. I commend St. FX for having resolutions that are easy to understand and very general unlike Dalhousie. St FX C girls were hot but very cocky. It was so obvious that the adjudicators were hitting on them. The legend of Auyon, Dan, and Neil that is! Btw, they said that rap music is detrimental to the society but they lack the mechanism to prove the degree of detriment on the society. And yes, we won!

Debate 5: Dalhousie B vs. UNB A

Nevermind. They won the Novices!


The whole tournament wasn't outstanding but it's good enough to be a learning experience. And yes, I think my team should have been part of semifinals only if they didn't make us face Dalhousie B again.