Eight years ago, my dad decided to move me schools. His reason: so I can meet other people, rather than the same forty-something group in elementary school.

Instead, it led into a series of events that results in me being the most fucked-up person ever. Socially-incompetent with an achingly low self-esteem and a ridiculous misplacement of hope.

And if you're still reading this - trust me, the set-up means you do and I don't - trust me, you're fucking laughing now. Oh, Henrik is fucking pathetic, look! Laugh, back row, fucking laugh, and I'll kill you.

I'm on leave. I'm leaving for whatever it is I have to do later. And then some big casting news filtered through my Twitter page. Fudgie fudgie. Oh well. Let them have it. Oh, right, I'm listening to online radio at home. Nice, eh?

I've been here for almost eleven hours. I'm quite the dedicated person, but actually it's because we've been trying to dodge the SLEX traffic, which means I've been breaking how many records, which means... oh, wait, that's only one record. Anyway, I haven't done these things in a while, supposedly Icka's fort but it became Niña's because nobody has put this in a quotable much like she did.


She's 17, by the way. And I can't understand the lyrics to the song Claud sent me. Can't find them, even. And tomorrow you'll have a grand day. If you're seeing this, that is.

The idea for the one-year-later project occurred to me early this month. They did say the blog entry marking the graduation of eighteen CAM105 students - technically, seventeen CAM105 students and an ACM104 student who shifted and got in just in time - was "amazing" because it only had eighteen photos and one line of text, which was unusual. I thought it'd be nice if I did some catching up with them. The compromise was, that one line of text became eighteen paragraphs.

I sent almost everyone the message three weeks ago, and I realized how hard it was getting in touch with these people. The idea wasn't groundbreaking, but for a moment, I was giving them a chance to define themselves - the description and the photos were pretty much thrown at them - and it wasn't exactly smooth sailing. While some answered, some didn't respond, either because they were too busy or just didn't care. Or, I already know what they're up to, and I am just bothering them.

Then again, I slowly got word on most of them soon. Some elaborated on what they did, and some were nice enough to throw in an anecdote or two. While it didn't go well for most of us (read: I got annoyed at Ariane at one point for asking me to change an aspect of her write-up) it was basically a pretty fun adventure, sorts. Finding out stuff that our parents had a hard time knowing before, right?

Well, only a few did answer, and the rest required some investigative journalism - or, remembering what you knew waaay before, or good old Facebook.

The latest count, then. Three write for a living, with two working as outsourced writers. Two have worked for broadcasting companies. Two have worked for production companies. Three work for banks. Three have flown abroad, with one of them having returned. Three have entered the corporate world. Two are working with events. One is taking further studies. One got recognized for his work. One almost got recognized for her work. And that is pretty much scratching the surface.

The entry will go live in under three hours has gone live, and I'm admittedly excited. Or, perhaps, nostalgic that it's been a year since we graduated, and it felt longer than that. And then I think of the many others who graduated with me, those who are in a different year (Aaron with the Magic and Yoa with TV5, for example) or in different courses altogether. It must've been a very long first year in the real world.

Whatever that is called nowadays.

Henrik Batallones: i still dont know how to talk about the oth flashforward. :))
Leslie Chew: i dont know how they're gonna play it out eh
Henrik Batallones: well youre the one who watches oth, so im thinking of what happened before. haha
Henrik Batallones: and with lucas' departure, what? haha
Leslie Chew: lucas didnt leave
Henrik Batallones: nathan pala. :))
Henrik Batallones: (told you. :)))
Leslie Chew: he's not leaving either!
Henrik Batallones: =))
Henrik Batallones: chad michael murray na lang! =))
Leslie Chew: huh?
Henrik Batallones: oh nvm. :))
Henrik Batallones: (ashamed na ewan)
Leslie Chew: sorry im lost
Henrik Batallones: you said its not lucas. not nathan. so i said, fine, chad michael murray na lang. yung aalis sa oth.
Leslie Chew: ooh
Leslie Chew: haha
Henrik Batallones: so chad is who?
Leslie Chew: lucas
Leslie Chew: what i meant was he didnt leave naman last episode

One, Jason left to live with his mother in the United States.

Two, Lau left to study in Australia. Actually, I don't know when this happened, or if it already happened, but that's what I know. And I guess that's what happened.

Three, Marcia left with her family to live in Canada for good.

As for the fourth...

I got tired of it, and eventually got rid of it, so if you're wondering where that other list goes, well, it goes nowhere. Control zee, control zee.

I knew it! But I feel more sorry for Carmel. If she ever ranted about it, though - never noticed her rant about it. We are busy, aren't we?

I have a couple of mistakes to undo.

That fact is a given, so I won't state it.

Perhaps it's a bad thing to act aloof, but in a world where keeping up is a priority, sometimes the best thing you can do is act aloof. Or, the only thing you can do. I have followed the rules for the past twenty years and it has gotten me nowhere. Well, expect for the fact that I have a big heart, and people with big hearts get hurt easily. I'm being vain. But the hell with your pretensions.

They are right. The nice people finish last. Always finish last.