Complexities of a prince\’s life…

Yep, I said that Roger ‘aint gonna win the Aussie Open. And you bet I’m right. Sorry. I know I’m gloating. But, YEAH! C’MON! Don’t get me wrong; I’m not a R. Federer hater. It’s so easy to root for the underdog. You know.

I wanted him to win when he wasn’t the Federer that everybody knew. He was this cool swiss player (I miss Martina Hingis.. *sigh*) with long hair that somehow played occasionally great. But you get my point.

On a v. sad note, Rafa got ousted by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, unseeded and French. Need I say more? But he really looks like the young Ali (boxer). Scary. Lol

I hope the Finals will be a slugfest. I expect nothing less. Both are hard hitters. Although in paper, Djokovic is the clear favorite.

Lastly, I can’t wait to go home. It’s the women’s finals. Sharapova vs Ivanovic. Two extremely talented and HOT players. I mean HOT!

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This is the reason why my average amount of sleep per day is around 4 and half hours.

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Tennis tournie for peeps in LA!! Come and join the fun. Mark your calenders: Feb 16 (10:00 am). Call me for more 411. Peace out!

Some of you prolly surmised that I’m back at Cal Poly since I’ve been blogging less these past few days. And you’re fantabulously correct. So, my apologies for a recap-sort-of-a-blog post.

5 random thoughts from a sleep-deprived and hungry Rob

1. Sharapova freakin’ obliterates Henin. Haha! Sorry, I know Henin fought hard, but it wasn’t hard enough. Maria proved how talented (and pretty *drools*) she truly is. On the Men’s side, Rafa is still alive and Roger is almost out. “Almost,” because I already called it. He ‘aint gonna win this time. (Sharapova and Henin’s match kept me awake up until the wee hours of the morning. Total sleep = 3 hours, satisfaction from a self-confessed Tennis aficionado = priceless)

2. Juno is love. And Ellen Page is wicked. Thanks Joline!! Haven’t seen a good movie for a while and this is just refreshing. Tried watching Sweeney Todd but it was too dark (if you know what I mean). I’ll try to watch it again sometime this week. And I am Legend too. Just for the heck of it.

3. I’ve always supported Hilary Clinton but having read how each candidate stand on key issues (such as Abortion, Health care, Immigration, and the War), I want to say that it’s really a toss up between Hilary and Barack. I still don’t think that Obama is electable though. I am not yet eligible to vote but I am surprised with me wanting to get involved with politics.

Well, I can still remember back in high school during the impeachment case of former President Estrada when I asked the admin people and principal if I could watch the coverage in their office. Talk about being way too pushy. Haha!

4. Two of my professors are retiring this year. Now, I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not. But I’m not worried. It’s just ironic how I have so much respect for one of them and my relationship with the other has evolved from indifferent to dislike to hate to I-actually-despise-him-I-almost-answered-him-back-during-class.

He made a fuss because I came in 3 minutes late (which is normal, others have been late for 40 seconds and still got reprimanded). He took notice that I drank water in the lab (the only professor who does!!) and tells me that it’s ok to step out of the room and drink it there. And he asked why I was surfing the net (apparently because I haven’t finished the problem yet).

Well, the reason for that (you moron) is that I was stuck with one part of the problem. I decided that I was going to solve it at home. And since he’s incompetent, I would just have to rely on my own. So instead of wasting my time, I decided to work on my other projects.

I’m just letting it all out people. Forgive me. I’m ok now. *smile*

5. Having Energy bars for breakfast and lunch isn’t that advisable. I feel nauseous. But still, Nature Valley’s Oats ‘N Honey is one bad-ass granola bar (and good source of whole grain to boast).

Fin.

My closest friends will slap me for saying this for the nth time, but 2007 was my worst year ever. It was rough. And I’ve had a great deal of disappointments along the way. But the optimist left in me will look at this ordeal in a different perspective. With the disappointments of 07 come the lessons learned. Besides, it’s already 2008 and I would want to focus more of what’s in front of me more than anything else.

Originally, I wanted to list all the sad and unfortunate events of 07 but I changed my mind. They will be there, in the history books, but I will only choose to remember them when need be.

So instead, let me just list some of the many blessings I’ve received for the past year.

1. Traveling.

Even though I wasn’t able to visit home this year, I was fortunate enough to visit places I’ve never been to. I saw the Grand Canyon (love) and downtown Phoenix when we went for a road trip to Arizona, drove to Big Bear where we tried skiing and snowboarding, and camped at Lake Isabella in Kern County. Also, I revisited Vegas and San Diego.

It’s just refreshing to go to these places, admire the beauty of nature, and meet other people. Usually, I would find myself in an adventure and cultural learning experience I would never have imagined I was going to be a part of.

2. Camie (pronounced as Cammy. Haha!).

I knew that I was gonna get a car this year. It was just a matter of time and “connection.” I had many options but I know that I made the right choice. I’m really proud of this because I’ve worked (and still working) hard for my car.

3. California State Polytechnic University (14th overall in the nation for top undergraduate programs in engineering. And the U.S. News & World Report placed Cal Poly Pomona’s Engineering Program 5th nationally among the best public undergraduate engineering programs).

This is truly one great blessing. Getting in the university took me 2 years and I couldn’t be happier. When I decided to leave the Philippines, I knew that I had to sacrifice a lot. This meant not being able to finish Chemical Eng’g in UP and the uncertainty of my studies abroad.

But I’m on my way. I’m done with quarter number 1. 8 more quarters to go!

4. Work.

First year anniversary at work. I’ve mentioned time and again that I love my work and I’m really glad that I’ve come a long way. I’ve learned a lot and I’ve matured in this career.

5. Family and Friends

I love my family. I have great relationships with my parents, my sisters, and other relatives and I want to keep it that way. I work hard for them and I wouldn’t ask for a better set of homies. They’re my treasures.

And what about my friends? Well, they’re the family I get to choose. They have been great and I will always be thankful for the bonds I’ve shared with each of them. I also want to thank those I’ve become friends with this year (you know who you guys are) and I hope to get to know more about you this 2008. And for old friends (not that you guys are old, but you get my point. lol), many thanks to you all. Some of you, I’ve known for 14 or so years. Here’s to many more years of friendships!

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By the way, I’m coming home this July and I better see most, if not all, of you. I know it’s 6 months in advance but I don’t want any excuses (I have work, I’m not in the country, etc.). Haha!