Attorney Greenhorn

They say that wisdom comes with age. Whoever said that must be really, really old in a sea of young people.

I can't help but feel proud and glad that in one way or another, I decided to see things differently in the case of Attorney Greenhorn.

He's young and inexperienced compared to my other professors (and to do such would be downright unfair to them). He does a lot of grandstanding and he's quite very moody, so to speak.

I forgive him for his inadequacy and immaturity.

I forgive him that he picks on his students who are at his mercy.

I wish to hate him but I guess, the world is full of hatred as it is. I need not asseverate nor add to the list.

Indeed, foolishness knows no age.

I Love You, Sabado!

I know I am not alone in this world when I say that Saturday is such a wonderful day.

I guess this holds true to those Monday to Friday slaves. But despite the fact that I have classes on such day, Saturday remains to be one of my beloved days.

Saturday gives me a certain kind of hope that when I come home after my class, I can stretch on my bed without any care at all; that I can catch up with whatever is on the television and I have a whole day to spend doing the things that I would normally take for granted during the weekdays.

It's not that I don't get to enjoy weekdays. School is fun, don't get me wrong. Despite the never ending supply of gods and demigods, I get to have fun in law school. However, the mental and physical rigors of law school are taking its tolls on me but not to the extent of getting burned.

Saturday is a break from the monotony of my weekdays activities. It's a day when I get to renew my strength for another week ahead of me.

Plus the fact that I have something to look forward to every week like a lover waiting for me to arrive home every night. *wishful thinking*

Some cool facts about Saturday:

• It was named no later than the second century for the planet (Saturn), which controlled the first hour of that day according to Vettius Valens. The planet was named for the Roman god of agriculture Saturn. It has been called dies Saturni ("Saturn's Day"), through which from it entered into Old English as Sæternesdæg and gradually evolved into the word "Saturday".

• Saturday is the only day of the week in which the English name comes from Roman mythology. The English names of all of the other days of the week come from Anglo-Saxon polytheism.

• Saturday is the usual day for elections in Australia and the only day in New Zealand on which elections can be held, and also the preferred election day in the US state of Louisiana.

uMobile Baby

uMobile is a relatively new service provider that is geared to be advertising-based. uMobile's claim to fame is that they are the first mobile operator in Asia largely funded by ads.

Come to think of it, for every advertisement/plugging I receive on my phone, I get to be paid. Isn't that amazing?

If Globe and Smart did such thing, I would have a small fortune by now.

uMobile used to be branded as CURE (Connectivity Unlimited Resource Enterprise Inc.). It was owned by Roberto Ongpin of Eastern Telecom.

CURE sounds familiar, right? CURE was the official 3G provider until, quoting Roberto Ongpin in a response sent to Mr. Boo Chanco's Demand and Supply column at Philippine Star (May 7, 2008), to wit:

x x x

"...Let me just simply state that it would have been foolhardy, nay suicidal, for me to have established CURE and applied for a 3G license had I not had a strong partner in place. No one in his right mind would contemplate competing with the giants that are Smart and Globe without the necessary technical and financial backing from a major international mobile telephone company.

Regrettably, early this year, my erstwhile partner, who for obvious reasons must remain unnamed, decided to withdraw from the project principally because of “political noise” considerations and also valid commercial reasons since, as we all know, the promised potential of 3G has not been realized as quickly as expected.

I had therefore no choice but to do the only sensible thing, which was to sell the company..."

xxx

April 28 when they made headlines and finally ended all speculations: Smart bought CURE.

When uMobile was rebranded, it's main target included those aged 15-35. I remember that it was the same targeted market of Smart Addict Mobile.

As a start, uMobile's move of invitation only is a good marketing ploy. They were able to "create" in people's minds the need for uMobile invite codes. Sort of like a secret society/fraternity/sorority -- and the invite codes didnt come easy.

May 24 when I finally got their much coveted invite code. I was asked to fill in some personal details as well as other things that reflects my attitude as a consumer i.e. what do I own? what brands I like? etc. Getting the invite code was just a mere invitation. uMobile management has yet to approve of such application.

In between May 24 and June 24, I missed a call that I was speculating until now to be from uMobile. I already resigned to the fact that I might have been disapproved/denied. I have several co-forumers who got their sims already and I haven't heard from uMobile. Anyhow, I just told myself that I need not another sim hence, another phone.

June 24, after typhoon Frank and the rest of Manila is on a city holiday, I got an e-mail from uMobile, which read:

Yahoo! Now, where's that freakin' purple sim card?

June 25, I received a message:


It was June 26 when I received the sim. Quite a prefix though: 0999


Truth be told, I am not excited with the number given to me. My only hope is that uMobile allows prepaid subscriber to change their numbers. A first for prepaid, indeed! However, such service has not been fully operational yet. I cannot wait as I have already a certain number on my mind.

uMobile to uMobile SMS is Php 0.15 and a call amounts to Php 5.00/minute. I know for a fact nothing beats Sun Cellular's rates but for a network using Smart's infrastructure, their rates are quite cheap.

I can only hope that my query regarding PLDT's 101010 applies to uMobile as well. I have to yet receive a word from PLDT.

I have Php 100 worth of load for the next six months at my disposal, courtesy of uMobile.

One thing though is that interconnectivity with Globe and Sun are not yet functional, to say the least. Using Globe and Sun Cellular, I cannot call uMobile. A call from uMobile will not be identified on Globe and Sun.

The same thing goes with SMS. I can send messages to Globe and Sun but they won't receive it. Globe and Sun to uMobile on the other hand, message sending is a failure.

uMobile team was quick to address these problems among others:


For now, apart from the change of number, I cant wait for the ads to arrive.










Excess:

If you're still looking for invite codes, might as well head to:

uMobile invite codes

Stressed. Toxic. Tired.

It's official. The pursuit of my legal endeavour has once again begun.

Barely two weeks since it commenced, my photocopies slash waste materials have piled up.

I'm up to my neck with backlog of cases and notes and basically, I've met the deities already.

I've started revving up and about to go full throttle, hopefully, specially with this specific subject I'm having difficulty with.

Good enough, no occurrence of migraine yet.

Just this week, I've considered twice absenting myself. Luckily, my sanity kicks the butt of my lazy side every time that happens.

I've abandoned "some" of my www habits but of course, not entirely. I'm sleeping 2-3 hours on a daily basis. I'm having abnormal eating habits. I always go home financially drained and physically and mentally exhausted.

That's my life and I love it -- enough to marry it, actually.

The irony though is that during school days, I look forward to Saturday and whenever Saturday comes and I'm in my bed, I can't wait for Monday.

This indeed certifies that I'm one heck of a masochist and lunatic for all intents and purposes.

My only consolation for all the self-deprivations and sacrifices I am making now is the fact that when I can officially attach the ATTY. in my name, I can make up for everything I've given up today.

That will be the day.

Law School Days Are Here Again...

Plus or minus 24 hours, law classes will begin.

My body is starting to "feel" the vibe as I am having intermittent migraine -- talk about being totally psyched!

I've prepared my notes and law books I'll be using this semester. The entire duration of my vacation was spent doing things I am normally deprived of as well as having nightmares of getting debarred.

Law school is indeed a slaughterhouse. The mortality rate is unspeakable. I've lost a lot of friends either because their average did not reach the Quantitative Point Index or QPI or they failed half of the load or they've failed nine (9) units or more of their subject/load.

Either way, I am still alive and I think I better learn from the lessons of the past semesters.

It's not too late to make resolutions, eh?

Here's my list:

1. Sleep and Oversleeping


I should stop staying up sooooo late to the point of exhausting myself. Hence, I oversleep.

I should limit my studying time to 1am or 2am then I should hit the sack and wake up around 8am or 9am. Six hours of sleep aint that bad after all.

As a law student, I find that sleep is already a luxury I cannot afford. A beauty rest of eight (8) solid hours is only allowed during Saturday night up to Sunday morning. The eve of Monday is devoted to, of course, nothing else but studying.

If possible, I have to buy a better alarm clock with a louder bell/ring, if not the loudest.


2. WWW maniac


I should, at all cost, stop from hanging out at forum and message boards during school days. I shouldn't be loitering in the cyber space unless I have to download cases or vent out my anger here at my blog.

Argh!

And yes, such prohibition includes YouTube and Movie6 unless it's Saturday night.

3. Turn off the Goddamn TV!


Late night studying sometimes bores &*%#@! out of me. So I tend to grab the remote and surf the channels and that takes the time I have for studying as well as sleeping.

I have to watch the late news but I know I should turn off the TV afterwards (I'll miss American Dad, Family Guy, Cheaters and The Big Bang Theory - boohoo!)

Where's a TiVo when you need one?

Sheeeeeeeeesh.

Under normal conditions, this is one heck of a set of abnormal rules!

Indeed, the life I would give up for love of law school.

Gods, Demigods and Mortals of Law School

Law school is a colorful conglomeration of all kinds of people from all walks of life. But definitely, there are those whom you'll never forget either because they're great or you want to strangle their necks for screwing you.

Since I have all the time in the world, let me introduce you to some people who makes my pursuit of a legal profession both wonderful and plain hell-ish.

The Gods

The Gods as in any given setting are the superior being. The ruler. The law.

Law school faculty seems to be teeming of them. Never running out of supply for condescending professors who think they are untouchable, so to speak. Always in their ivory castles.

Point in case is a certain professor. Of course for security of the blog writer, I do not wish to name names but for the sake of reference, let's call him God #1.

God #1 has a nasty reputation (aside from the fact that he has a hideous, hideous face - hybrid of a cow and pig), he tends to curse a lot (it doesnt matter if it's so early in the morning) and demeaning students seem to be his ultimate goal in life (a way of getting back for what the Supreme Court did to him in a case I dare not cite - clue: People vs Lucifer wahaha). He talks as if he's too great (oh well, what are we in power for?) and even picks on a student's weight (as if he's no cattle-sized himself!) and he turns into a magician of some sort come giving of grades.

God #1 is one ultimate professor who does not deserve a single centavo the school is giving him. He absents himself frequently and schedules make up classes. And what about those special classes? He tries to teach haphazardly and brags about covering most than any professor in school (haller? when did law school become a drag/car race, after all?)

I guess he does not need the money he is being paid for at school. With his position, God #1's salary in law school would not even cover his gas expenses.

And because he considers himself so powerful, he power trips often on students who would never dare question him. After all, a war between a god and a mortal would definitely kill the inferior one. Who would dare question him when chances or probability of having him as a professor in the entire law school stint is 50 to 75 per cent?

One would think twice to offend a god -- moreso God #1.

But I believe in karma. What goes around, comes around. I hope God #1 is immortal and invincible as well when karma strikes back.

The Demigods

The demigods or the lesser deities are either to be loved or hated.

Some tend to have this friendly rapport with students yet gets back at them by giving baseless grades. Baseless? Ask me why.

Classic example is a professor we'll tag as Mr. Senility.

Just recently, he created havoc by failing a number of students who did not deserve it at all. Luckily, I was not one of them but just the same, he messed with my grade. Had it been he didn't give me such grade for class standing, I would have had a grade of more than what I was given.

I am having second thoughts about asking Mr. Senility for a reconsideration. I'll think hardly about it as my gesture might be considered too forward and hence, disrespectful.

You dont just respect demigods, sometimes, they require that you bow down on them.

Anything less than how they want to be treated might anger them. A demigod might send lightning, at the slightest provocation.

Hmmmm...

I still opine that he needs to retire already.

The teachers/professors

They are tag-less, no need for name-calling or anything similar to that nature because they are great and good at what they do.

Believe it or not, girls in the classroom drool over these professors despite the fact that they are as old as our biological fathers. They are not *that* good looking at all but believe me, ladies in law school dig the brainy and experienced men -- that includes yours truly.

A great law professor makes the difficult climb tougher but enjoyable.

In law school, they are endangered species and sui generis -- threatened by the rising numbers of gods and demigods, their natural predators.

Mortals

The law of parallelism - heaven and earth, black and white, the beauty (that's me) and the beast (need I point it out to you?) and the gods and the mortals.

A law student cannot and will not dare attack a god -- that will cause mortal wounds which may lead to eventual death or in law school parlance, debarment.

As much as possible, as a student, we need to please the gods. Give them offers. Sacrifice virgins (now, that's an extinct breed!) and take the god/s' words as a gospel truth.

A mortal should learn how to think quite similarly like a god in order to appease him.

No matter how a mortal loathes a god, the god has always the final say.

Law school is a harsh and cruel world but I guess, law students are innate masochists.

Pat and Stanley Rocks!

I've been feeling a bit rotten lately... no particular reason at all.

Thank God for the internet, I met Pat and Stanley.

They make me laugh a lot. They're fun to be with. And, they are French!



Pat is a hippopotamus and Stanley is a dog.

According to my research, Pat and Stanley is an animated series created by Pierre Coffin and Patrick Delage, two French 3D graphic designers graduated from the high-profile graphic art college, Ecole des Gobelins in Paris.

The series is produced by television producing company Mac Guff Paris and broadcast on the biggest French television channel, TF1, in their dedicated program for kids.

The series consists of short stories played by animated characters Pat the hippopotamus and Stanley the Dog.

Since the episodes hit user-submitted videos sites like YouTube, MetaCafe or DailyMotion, the animation series gained so much in popularity that it generated enough views to win at least $50,000 from MetaCafe. Pat and Stanley are still among the top 100 of Google Video for the "farting" episode.



I love them though, for their The Lion Sleeps Tonight rendition. Soo cute!



Despite the fact that they're done in French, the cartoon clip itself is hilarious.

You can search for them in YouTube, if you want to see more of their crazy antics.