Thursday, April 30, 2015

My First Job Interview!

       A few days have passed from a very big day. I was interviewed for a job over the summer and it was totally nerve wracking. It all started two days before the deadline of the search. I thought about joining a lot. Lots of questions popped in my head whenever I saw the pictures of the search on facebook. "Will I join or not? I think I have a better chance now. Wait, no". I told my mom about the search and she said that I should go for it. "Just try it and let's see what happens", she would say. Of course, I tried to join. As soon as we decided, I began starting the application. I only had tonight and tomorrow. And the application had loads of requirements. I slept so late. The following day, as I woke up, I continued the application. As I finished, we sent the e-mail at 11:00 PM. We were quite pressured as we only had an hour. It was now or never. Days passed until a normal Monday came. As usual, my mom got home at about 7:30. She told me that she had great news. She showed me a text message from the Staff Writer of my favorite magazine. The text said that I was one of the finalists of the Junior team. I was speechless. It was very unexpected for me since I knew that there were other girls better than me but, I made it!



    My eyes finally opened from a nervous sleep. I woke up sweatier than you could imagine, my legs were already tingling of nervousness. I stood up and went downstairs. I took a seat on my favorite chair in the house. I began skimming each and every issue of my favorite magazine. I needed confidence today. It wasn't any other average day. I was so nervous. I had entered to be the Staff Writer for the Junior Team of my favorite magazine. I didn't think that I would really get chosen. While reading magazines, I fell asleep, daydreaming about my interview. I panicked a bit when I saw what time it was. "Daddy, I'm going to get ready now." It was already 11:30. An hour passed and we rode the car about to go to a magazine publishing office (I'm not telling the office name!). The ride was so long that I even fell asleep by 1:30. By 2:35, me and my dad ended up in a mall. We walked inside the mall going to the office. We entered the elevator and went to the sixth floor. As we walked out, there was a guard watching over an office which was really big. It was just like my mom's office. My dad told the guard that we were here for the interview. We got inside and waited for quite a short time. Then, the girl who was sitting with us holding a piece of paper asked my name and lead us to a conference room. Once my dad and I got in, I saw two girls with their mom like me waiting quietly for their turn. Three girls passed and the staff writer who texted us finally said "Okay, next, Athena Cat". I took a deep breath and got nervous more than ever. I walked towards the door nervously trying to look real confident. The staff writer lead me to another conference room just next door. As she opened the door, I the whole team sitting right there. I took a seat on the single chair in front. The interview finally began. They asked quite a lot of questions which were hard and easy. I was very nervous but luckily, the interview finally ended! It was a huge relief and I finally went back to daddy! I told him all about how I answered, the questions and how I felt.

     Did I get chosen or not? Now that's an answer we're not going to miss.

My Sisters

   It was June 2014. The school year 2013 was the worst school year ever. 2014 came, and having another bad school year wasn't going to be an option for me. Ever since the first day of school year 2014, I made a friend. I thought that she was going to be my best friend through the good and bad. I was wrong. August 16, 2014 came. I was online on facebook and me and one of my classmates had a chat. The following day, that classmate asked me to have recess and lunch with her. Then, a friday came and me and another girl were told to sit together in our computer lab. The girl immediately made friends with me. She borrowed my colored pencils since she hated her wax crayons. Those simple things lead me to a whole new world. Me and those two girls became best friends. Eventually, my old not-friend started ignoring me and had a new group of friends. Can you guess what happened next? Well, the girl who I had a chat with introduced me to her other friends. Another girl I was friends with in grade three, became my friend again. (We couldn't talk to each other before since we weren't classmates!) And in the end, I had a totally wonderful barkada. It was like a fairytale. How I was so sad last year, and suddenly now, I have seven cool best friends!

     Do you know who those seven people were? Do you know who made each day of school happy, fun, wonderful, and unforgettable? There are only seven names to remember. Amelia, Candy, Anna, Bailey, Phia, and Violet made grade five the best. Each and every day, me and some of my best friends would have adventures by ourselves during dismissal. We'd go to the library and surf the internet there, or play hide and seek and run through the book shelves like playing a maze. Each time the librarians would say shhh, we'd just stop and have a good time. Sometimes we'd go to the very large upper school department. That was the place where the big adventures were. To hide the name Upper School when we asked each other, we'd simply say, "Are we going to U.S?" or sometimes "Are we going to U.S.A?" And sometimes, we'd find secret passages leading to different parts of the school or goof off and run around the whole school. The feeling was more than wonderful nor magical. These words honestly cannot explain how much fun and happy I felt.

      Now summer is here and it has been super boring! We all miss each other, yet a really sad group chat was made in facebook yesterday. I was chatting with my friend, Amelia then suddenly a group chat appeared on the screen. It said "Bye my best friends". As I tapped the icon, I saw that one of my friends, Phia made a group chat. The members were Phia, Candy, Amelia and me. Phia told us that she would be moving to a different school and Amelia told us that she would be studying in Japan. It felt so sad. To read the words saying they'd move to new schools was so so sad.

     What does the title "My Sisters" have to do with my best friends? I'm an only child! Well, it's pretty obvious that I treat my best friends as sisters. They were more to me and I really miss them. 

Saturday, April 25, 2015

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone



      Harry Potter is one of my favorite books and it was also one of the books which made me want to become an author. Harry Potter is all about a simple boy who became a wizard and discovers magical things. It may sound like a very simple story, but believe me. It's more complicated and fun as you think. Harry Potter was written by J.K Rowling. Today I'll be doing my second book review about a very popular life-changing book. 

      Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone begins with a big beefy man named Vernon Dursley. He had a son named Dudley Dursley and a wife named Petunia Dursley. The Dursleys never got into foolish nonsense since they were just so normal, thank you very much. The family lived in Little Whining Street, Privet Drive. One day, Vernon was on the way to work and sees a strange weird cat looking at maps and staring all over the place. After that, he sees weird people in cloaks rejoicing. They say that You-Know-Who also known as He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has gone away. Whatever that meant. He then ignores them and goes to work. Night came and he went back home. He again sees the strange cat and ignores it. Once everyone was asleep, no one realized that a crazy dressed old man wearing a violet cloak was outside  Privet Drive at this late hour. The man took something looking like a silver cigarette lighter out of his pocket and all of the headlights in Privet Drive were one by one immediately lit up by this old man. He then talks to the strange cat right outside the Dursleys. 
"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall." 
The strange cat disappeared and was replaced by a rather severe-looking woman also wearing a cloak, an emerald one.
"How did you know it was me?" she asked.
"My dear professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly."
Professor McGonagall's voice eventually trembled. They got to the conversation the old man was most afraid to talk about.
"The rumor is that Lilly and James Potter are - are - that they're - dead."
The old mad bowed his head.
"Lilly and James... I can't believe it... I didn't want to believe it.. Oh, Albus..." They had quite a moment and eventually got to this conversation.
"I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now." Dumledore said. 
The two argued a bit. Professor McGonagall said that they were the worst muggles she's ever seen. Dumbledore said that Hagrid would be bringing Harry. He'd trust his life with him. A few minutes passed and a flying motorcycle was seen flying across the sky and landed in front of Dumbledore and McGonagall. The man sitting in it was almost as twice as tall as a normal man ad was too big to be allowed. The moment finally came where they left baby Harry just outside the Dursley's door with only a letter in an envelope and a blanket. 

      Years passed and Harry was finally 10. He was about to turn 11 in just a few days. Harry lived with his horrible aunt and uncle and their abominable son, Dudley. Harry was treated poorly by the Dursleys. Harry wore Dudley's oversized clothes, he didn't get enough meals, and his bedroom was the cupboard under the stairs. Until one day, the mail came and Harry's Uncle Vernon asked him to get the mail. As Harry picked up the letters, he scrolled through them one by one until Harry's heart skipped a beat. A letter just for him. Before he could even open the envelope, his uncle got it. Days passed and the letter kept coming back. Yet each letter was burned and ripped by Uncle Vernon. Until a Sunday came. Uncle Vernon knew that there wasn't mail on Sunday. He was wrong. Owls came and thousands of letters came landing in the chimney. The Dursleys and Harry eventually moved to different places and ended up in a small house near the shore of a sea. Dudley and Harry stayed downstairs and Vernon and Petunia upstairs. Midnight was coming closer and Harry was still awake. He was going to turn eleven in a few minutes. It wasn't everyday you'd turn eleven, right? 12:00 AM. BOOM! Someone was there. Harry couldn't believe his eyes. He saw a man so wide and tall. Vernon and Petunia woke up. The man who looked like a giant introduced himself as Hagrid, keeper of keys at Hogwarts. The Dursleys were no match for Hagrid. Muggles. Hagrid gave Harry a small cake and his more than awaited letter. Harry finally got the chance to read it.
Dear Mr. Potter,
       You have been accepted to Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Harry eventually got away from the Dursleys. He finds out that You-Know-Who killed his parents and somehow, he as a baby survived. Harry goes to Platform nine and three quarters and the adventure at Hogwarts finally begins. There he finds aerial sports, an invisibility cloak, a mirror showing your deepest desires, a sorting hat, Hagrid illegally owning a giant, Chocolate frogs, weird flavored jelly beans, a red-haired friend, a know-it-all girl, a pale looking bad boy, a very wise professor, a teacher mistaken as the bad guy, and most importantly, the teacher who is secretly a follower of Voldemort and the Sorcerer's Stone.

      These few words cannot express the whole magical adventure in Harry Potter. There are more magical things at Hogwarts and reading Harry Potter would take you to you magical far away places.


*Book Review 

Friday, April 17, 2015

The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell

      Today, I'll finally be doing a book review of one of my favorite books, the Land of Stories. The Land of Stories is a book series written by Chris Colfer. As I know, Chris Colfer has a contract to write at least five books of his series. The first book is The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell. Second is The Land of Stories: The Enchantress Returns. Followed by The Land of Stories: A Grimm Warning. And the fourth and latest book as of now is The Land of Stories: Beyond the Kingdoms. The Land of Stories series is about twelve-year old twins who discover the fairytale world and find out that their grandma is a fairy godmother who helped spread fairytales to the world. I will be writing a short book review about The Land of Stories, The Wishing Spell.


       The Land of Stories, The Wishing Spell begins with two twelve-year old twins born named Alex and Conner Bailey. Alex is a very smart girl who loves books especially fairytales. Alex was mostly the girl who always recited in class. On the other hand, Conner wasn't very smart and he would mostly sit in class drooling all over his notes. At class, he was quite the opposite of his sister Alex. The twins and their family lived in a small happy cottage in the forest. They lived with their mom, dad, and sometimes their grandma. Before the family would go to bed, their grandma would read them a story from her storybook. Each time she told a story, the moment felt so magical like it was real. Each day for them was happy as could be. Time passed by and their father died. Times were heavier than ever. Life became harder. The twins' birthday came. Their grandma's storybook was given to them as a birthday gift. The storybook was kept by Alex. After the storybook was given to them, Alex changed. During the following days, she was totally quiet. Alex did not say a word during class and she never raised her hand. Until one day. She went to the comfort room and ended up in a fairytale world. His brother Conner eventually followed her and the adventure began. They wished to go home, and they discovered a journal to collect the items for the spell that they needed to go home. There they meet a frog who is secretly a prince, a very dramatic queen in love, a very brave girl running away because of three bears, a man who climbed a beanstalk, kings and queens, an assembly ran by fairies, a mad troll princess in love with Conner and most importantly, the vain, unapologetic evil queen. 


     The Land of Stories is a very nice story. In my opinion, it is as good as Harry Potter. It really entertains me compared to different books. There wasn't any boring part at all, and of you're the fairytales-with-twitsts liker kind of person, this book would be perfect for you.


*Book Review


There wasn't a single part where I didn't enjoy it. I am really looking forward to reading more of Chris Colfer's wonderful books and it would be great if a Land of Stories movie was made.

Sunday, April 12, 2015

Is This Really Christmas?

       It was about 12 midnight and there was about what seemed like a week til christmas would land. Me and my family were sleeping safe and sound until my dad got a phone call from my grandma. He said that he had to rush to the hospital since my grandpa was sick. I didn't ask what happened though. Me and my mom went back to sleep. I worried, but I knew that my grandpa was a very strong man. He got sick many times, he even survived a fire accident. I knew he could fight the sickness.


     The following day, when I woke up, I asked my yaya what happened and she told me that he was near their house, playing cards, lost the game, and fainted. His friend left him to go ask for help. That afternoon, me and my mom went to the hospital. We went to a waiting room. As I walked out of the elevator, I saw my uncle, cousins, and my aunt outside. It was very dull. I assume it was like that because of all the gloomy faces and the sad weather. We got inside the room and I found out it was for the family members of patinents in the ICU. I was only grade 2 back then, I didn't know what it meant. I saw all my other relatives. My dad, grandma, other uncles and aunts, but no grandpa. We waited there for lots of hours and days.
        
      There were two days before christmas eve and we finally got out of the gloomy ICU waiting room and had two private rooms where my grandpa was. We were all together. We were supposed to have a gift giving tomorrow like always, but now it looks like another day passed and today was christmas eve. We were all still in the rooms, each doing anything to entertain and keep ourselves up. At about 11:25 pm, we all went to the first room where my grandpa was and the second room was empty. We all sat there eyes on my grandpa. Time passed.... The doctor said he could pass away. 11:30 .... 11:35 ..... 11:40 ..... 11:45 ......  everyone was standing still. Everyone was saying, I love you, don't leave us!, We need you! And the most unbelievable thing happend....12:00 midnight. It was Christmas. Lines in the monitor went straight. Cries were heard from each and every person. 

     The cries were moved outside. The most unexpected thing happened. Outside the room, in the hallway, two gifts inside brown paper bags were near the door. One small one and one big one. There was a note attached. The small bag said; To: Stuart, From: Santa Claus. The bigger one said To: Athena From: Santa Claus. I opened the gift and it has candies, marshmallows, and a brown teady bear. Now that's unforgettable. That's even proof that Santa Claus is real. We were all in that room, crying and it was impossible if any one of us were crazy enough to not feel sad and put the gifts outside. Santa Claus is real. I believe. Anyways, I didn't really feel that happy. I wanted my grandpa to stay alive. I didn't expect that he'd pass away so fast. That night, I went with my grandma, older cousin, uncle, and two aunts as the others including my parents paid the fees at the hospital. I couldn't sleep that night. Things came so fast.

       For the following days, me and my family slept at grandma's in Bulacan. The first funeral was located at of course, grandma's. In my memory, the funeral at grandma's seemed like a whole month but was really about three or two weeks. Since their house was quite big, each night was filled with people, tables, chairs, and food. I went near my grandpa's coffin. Me and my family slept at grandma's everyday. New year came and we spent it there, of course. 12:00 am. January 1, 2012. We lit up fireworks and the night was beautiful. Fireworks were seen anywhere you'd look. My grandpa was surely smiling down at us. The second funeral was at a place called Arlington. Now that place was air conditioned. At some days when the number of guests were few, me and my cousin would go to the play area. One 5 am at the funeral, there was a small number of guests. We finally had our family gift giving. I recieved a lot of gifts but it wasn't very happy as it seems. A few days before new year came, me and my family (mom, dad and me) went back home. As I went near the Christmas tree, I saw a gift from my parents which was a Barbie marker box. The second one was a barbie pencil bag from Santa, again. I received a lot of gifts. Yet with all those gifts, I didn't feel that it was Christmas. I didn't feel the Christmas spirit. My grandpa was missing. He wasn't with us.

     A few days passed and my grandpa (and his coffin😢😣) was brought back to grandma's. I woke up, took a bath, and wore a white gown, white shoes with slight heels, a white flower headband, and a black pin. I looked kinda pretty. But I wasn't fully dressed. I didn't smile. I went outside and saw a few chairs set up just like in the previous funeral. I heard that a mass was about to start in a few minutes. I approached my grandpa's coffin. I realized something. He was dead. He was smiling. There he was, it looked like death was an old friend to him and he smiled. He smiled peacefully. The mass started and we ended up in the cemetery. I was one of the many people wearing white. I was in the front. Crying as the coffin was closed. The coffin was put inside a box like shape made out of cement. It hurt. I didn't feel happy at all. The pain I was feeling was indescribable. 

      A few days after that, a label with his name was sticked onto the cement. I could only remember one label. "Died: December 24, 2011. Days flied away so fast and it was quite hard to move on. Especially for my dad. And here I am now. Writing in my blog. I am sure about one thing. I am sure I'm not making a mistake. I'm sure that my grandpa is smiling at me at this very moment.


    


       


     

  

Saturday, April 11, 2015

If I were in a book...hmmm 😌

                     If I were inside a book...hmmm

      If I were inside a book for let's say, maybe a month, I'd choose one book where my immaginations would be boosted. Where there are no worries, where fun's activated, maybe a place where reality wouldn't exist. Harry Potter? Nahh, too adventurous. I don't want to see You-know-who! Dork Diaries?, umm maybe too much teen drama. The secret garden? too many risks. The Land of Stories? Inkspell?  Oh I would but it looks dangerous. And that would be quite boring since the story is about the characters getting inside the book. The School for Good and Evil? No way! I don't want to be sorted into the wrong school if ever! Ohhh this is hard. I've got it! A world of pure imagination, a place where candy and chocolate never runs out, a place that has a glass elevator, and a place that's full of Oompa-Loompas! Do you know have an idea of book I want to get into? It's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!"
    
        How could I not have thought of it? That would be perfect! I'd get a golden ticket, meet Mr. Willy Wonka and the oompa-loompas, sing with the oompa-loompas, see the chocolate waterfall, see the different stuff at the factory, maybe even create my own masterpiece of candy, and eat candy!!! It would be too much too enjoy in just one month! Now tell me, who wouldn't enjoy that! I wish I could just make anything I want turn into reality. I wish I could go on adventures anytime I want. Ohh, I forgot, I can. When I read a single book, I go on a wide wide journey even just at the foot of my bedroom. That would be as good enough to go to the chocolate factory.☺

Room 309, Sanggumay


       Twenty-four days have passed since me and my classmates have not seen each other. The few two weeks before the last day were cherished more than ever. We did not have lessons anymore, and the teachers let us watch different films. In my point of view, the teachers let us spend more time while we were together. Since the last day, March 18, 2015, me and my friends couldn't talk to each other much even on facebook due to their required summer classes and vacations. My days since then have been quite boring or maybe, just not enjoyable. I never really waited for the day where summer would finally begin and all the stress from school would stop. Whenever school days were more than fun, crazy, exciting, and memorable, I would just think; "I'm gonna miss these guys! How couldn't I?".  Before all of this happened, before the first day, believe it or not, I was honestly thinking the complete opposite.


       It was almost June 2014 and the section assignments for the school year were finally posted on the school website. I was so excited! My imaginations ran wild as I thought of what new adventures were waiting for me this year. As I searched for my name, I saw that I was in the section of Sanggumay. My hopes were to high. I did not want to get in the section of Sanggumay due to a teacher who jokes too much that can get too, umm, hurtful to others feelings (No offense! ✌). I wanted to have a different teacher, the class adviser of Gumamela.  As I searched for the other names of my fellow batch mates, not a single friend became my classmate. Tears fell from my eyes. As my mom said; "Who knows, you might make new friends". Three words. Worst Year Ever.


      The first day came so fast and I was nervous more than ever. I listened to my mom's advice and one single thing was on my mind. Make friends. I did not want to go back to last year where I cried myself to sleep because of the loneliness at class. I wanted to have friends. During last year's summer, I always prayed for my deepest desire. "Jesus, please. At least one friend. I'd be more than happy with just a single friend." There I was, walking to the Sanggumay classroom. Room 309. I opened the door, kissed my mom goodbye and saw a few students nervous so quiet like they don't know each other. I wondered where the adviser was. I took a seat at the third row, no one next to me with sweaty palms and waited for what was going to happen next. A lot of the students were now in the classroom. A pretty kind looking girl entered the room, I recognized her from the section I wanted to get into. She put her bags on the teacher's table at the back, turned on the fans and showed a kind smile. "Why are you all quiet, you know each other, right?" She eventually told us that the old teacher resigned due to personal reasons. And of course, as you can see, she was our adviser. :)


      Days passed and I made a new friend who now is not recognized to me as a friend. During the second day, I gave her some of my snacks since she didn't have food for recess and on one first friday mass, she ignored me completely and didn't even talk to me. I thought I found the answer to my prayers. I was wrong. I didn't want to have another sad life. So, I found a new friend. I made this friend with her borrowing colored pencils from me. During the following week, she gave me paper which was really needed for our class. It may be just paper, but I was saved from the scary terror teacher getting mad. Then I even found another friend. It all started with a simple chat on facebook.  (August 16, 2014) During the following school day, she asked if I would like to have lunch with her. Of course I said yes. I did a happy dance in my head! That yes changed my life. When I sat with her at lunch I met even more friends and had my own barkada. It was like a fairytale. A perfect fantasy.

   
   Well, that's only the beginning of what happened to the last memorable year. I also became vice president of the class, the leader of my group, won the spelling bee contest and a lot more. It would take me forever to explain how happy I was in just one post. And here we are again, me recalling what it felt like when I was still in Sanggumay, missing my friends dearly. But what I want to say is that God will always listen to your prayers. He can give more than what you want if you just pray. I always asked for just one friend but he gave me more than a friend. He gave me a group of friends. Besides, who knows maybe we'll be friends next year or maybe I could make new friends. God always has his reason why he made anything happen. He made a memorable school year in a memorable room. Sanggumay. Room 309. Memories.






     

      
       

Well, I have a blog now

          It was a normal day and I was surfing the net on my i pad. I was studying more of the Fully Booked Junior Book Crew 2015 as I was interested in applying. I saw some previous Fully Booked Junior Book Crew members who shared their experiences in the summer workshop. I found the blogs quite interesting and I wondered if I could have my own blog.

          4:30 p.m came and I asked my mom what a blog was. She told me all about blogs and I liked the idea of having an online diary and writing anything you want. This first entry may seem short and boring, but don't worry! I'm sure that maybe in a few weeks, hundreds of entries may be posted. And now, I have my own blog!