Weekly Log as of August 4. 2025, Monday:
Film? Research!!!
Yes, that was the last thing on my backlogs. As soon as I went home from our Totoy Matibay shot retake, I took a very long rest and tried to focus on my research paper. Focusing… Focusing… Focusing……
TUESDAY! Directing class. Screening of our short film, Feel It where I was also the Production Designer and Wardrobe Supervisor (one and only). All our groupmates had no choice but to embrace the cringe (the panelists laughed at the corny jokes) as we watched our short film. To our surprise, it was best out of all three groups. Wow! I mean… WOWWWW!!!!!
The following day, I was asked to help with a short scripted interview (they needed two film students specifically) for a close friend (Elle, Multimedia student)’s final requirement for their Post-Production subject. In return, we had free coffee and a donut! That night, I was also able to submit two Film Research requirements. #twodowntwomoretogo #weloveprogress
THURSDAY! Thursday… Thursday afternoon was our Film Research defense. 2 PM. My paper wasn’t finalized yet but I realized that I needed a presentation. I looked at the alphabetical list of last names on the whiteboard. My last name was the last one. We started at 2:30.
Defense had never been more dramatic (and cold???) as this. It started off with a mild atmosphere until it grew lighter and lighter as the defendants started to leave around the late afternoon, the couples and friend groups just waiting for each other to finish. I was laser-focused on my presentation (unless the presenter’s topic was actually interesting or if a panelist had the defendant stumped, then the room would be filled again with the sound of speedy tapping on my keyboard). Pretty soon, around 6:30 PM, I had finally finalized my presentation. I walked up front with only one friend group and three of four panelists (incl. our prof) left in the audience.
“Analyzing How Political Malpractice is Depicted in Coming-of-Age and Comedy Films” was a bit different from the other topics since it sounded more like an actual paper than the prompt for a thesis film. I was able to answer the panel’s questions well, letting all the feedback sink in. As I talked, I saw the frosh students come out of their Acting classroom and smile at me through the door’s vertically rectangular window. I kept on presenting with a smile on my face.
Research Defended!
That night, I took my well-deserved meal at Shopwise and went back home. Took a deep breath. Finally, I had nothing else to do tomorrow except to tie up loose ends.
Friday afternoon, I ate sinigang at the nearest eatery that had it, where I also paid a small debt to a certain friend. Around 2 PM, I returned the Tubong Barako merch and posters I had with me to Dir. Rox and Produ. Micha’s dorm. They were doing this 1000-pcs moon puzzle and I helped them as we caught up about what’s been happening in our lives. They said they’ll be moving out by the end of August to settle back to Marikina. (These two will be among the first five to graduate from our batch.) They made me coffee and shared their lunch until it was time for me to leave (a.k.a. content enough with the puzzle progress). When I got home, I waited and received the PD props and materials I brought for the Malunggay production from Bayambang. I was able to arrive at the terminal by 6:20 PM (a traffic-y one-hour trip by car) and arrive in Pangasinan by 10:30 PM.
Free Real Esta- I Mean Food.
Saturday morning, we went to an open house in Manaoag (lunch took so long) from 1Premiere Land. After that, we went to Bo’s Coffee. After that, we went back home where I emptied my colon oh, so dramatically. I bonded with my dogs, checked the yellow-green grades on my Film Research subject, and rewatched While You Were Sleeping. A refreshing experience. (I logged it on Letterboxd.)
Mga Kwento ni Direk (ng AB&B; a.k.a. Anak)
The morning after, I walked with my father to the market where we bought breakfast and sinigang ingredients (had this craving since my stay in Makati!!) and took a tricycle back home. After that, I did my laundry (yay!) That afternoon, we also went to the mall to check the dentist and buy groceries and new slippers from my dorm (lasted a whole year, God bless those slippers). That night, I played darts with my newly-crowned mother and learned the annoyingly precise darts scoring method. Slept very well even though I came in second place (even though I was closer to the quota? Then again, “annoyingly precise”.)
As for Monday, I wrote the minutes for the meeting again, made coffee, finalized my future in the Producing track, did laundry, finalized my roommate for KMK, did my laundry again, transcribed everything in this website, fried a dead frog from our front yard, cooked pancakes, checked the rest of my grades (and felt relieved!), and took a late rest after writing this chapter.
Adios! (Sa susunod ulit!)