<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838</id><updated>2011-04-22T07:58:16.976+08:00</updated><title type='text'>My Spanish Sojourn</title><subtitle type='html'>travelogue and random musings by an overworked grad student</subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>46</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-112375618862906085</id><published>2005-08-11T18:26:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2005-08-11T18:29:48.633+08:00</updated><title type='text'>Biting off much more than you can chew</title><summary type='text'>Too little time to write and one too many blogs to maintain led me to decide to shut down this one and just concentrate my efforts on Pixels &amp; Paper. See you there!</summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/112375618862906085/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=112375618862906085' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/112375618862906085'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/112375618862906085'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2005/08/biting-off-much-more-than-you-can-chew.html' title='Biting off much more than you can chew'/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-112286173746681681</id><published>2005-08-01T10:00:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2005-08-01T10:03:13.423+08:00</updated><title type='text'>Off to the mountains!</title><summary type='text'>I'm off to Baguio for a 24-day trip to recharge my batteries, both spiritual and physical. There will be time to go around and take pictures, and I'll posting the more interesting ones as the days pass.</summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/112286173746681681/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=112286173746681681' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/112286173746681681'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/112286173746681681'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2005/08/off-to-mountains.html' title='Off to the mountains!'/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-112285702885666962</id><published>2005-08-01T08:18:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2005-08-01T08:43:48.860+08:00</updated><title type='text'>Book + beer + beach = Bliss!</title><summary type='text'>Well, we got tricked by technology. The weather sites said that we would have cloudy and rainy days during the weekend, but it turned oout otherwise. There were overcast skies at certain moments of the day, but we had glorious sunshine the rest of the time.Mother nature was really kind, as the first drops of rain that we experienced that weekend fell just as we were leaving the place.Haven't had </summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/112285702885666962/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=112285702885666962' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/112285702885666962'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/112285702885666962'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2005/08/book-beer-beach-bliss.html' title='Book + beer + beach = Bliss!'/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-112263084919985148</id><published>2005-07-29T17:46:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2005-07-29T17:54:09.203+08:00</updated><title type='text'>Stormy weather</title><summary type='text'>I'll be going to San Juan, Batangas tomorrow—my first R&amp;R trip in, what, six months?—and a quick check on Accuweather shows me this.Sigh.Admittedly, it isn't the ideal time to go to the beach, but the pseudo-summer weather just a week ago had raised my hopes of getting some sun and surf on this trip. Oh, well, at least it'll make for more dramatic photos. To be posted on Sunday, when I get back.</summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/112263084919985148/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=112263084919985148' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/112263084919985148'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/112263084919985148'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2005/07/stormy-weather.html' title='Stormy weather'/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-112078149312461328</id><published>2005-07-07T10:58:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2005-07-29T18:24:09.230+08:00</updated><title type='text'>Been there but, sadly, I've never done that</title><summary type='text'>Not that I was planning to get drunk and sleep on the street, but I did so badly want to be in Pamplona for the San Fermin Festival this year. To have been in Pamplona three years in a row and never to have experienced the sanfermines was practically a crime. Even my barber, horrible as he was at cutting Asian hair, was wonderful at promoting his hometown's premiere event (the only event worth </summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/112078149312461328/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=112078149312461328' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/112078149312461328'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/112078149312461328'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2005/07/been-there-but-sadly-ive-never-done.html' title='Been there but, sadly, I&apos;ve never done that'/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-111744836026591303</id><published>2005-05-30T18:19:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2005-06-03T15:39:25.276+08:00</updated><title type='text'>:: Snapshot: The Guggenheim-Bilbao ::</title><summary type='text'>     The Guggenheim in Bilbao   On my first trip to Spain, I grabbed the first chance I could to visit a friend in Bilbao, which turned out to be just a bit more than an hour away from Pamplona by bus. He gave me a walking tour of the city, and one of the more pleasant surprises was to walk along the (usually) narrow streets of the city lined with buildings that look like they go back at least a </summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/111744836026591303/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=111744836026591303' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/111744836026591303'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/111744836026591303'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2005/05/snapshot-guggenheim-bilbao.html' title=':: Snapshot: The Guggenheim-Bilbao ::'/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-111733695617752830</id><published>2005-05-29T11:15:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2005-06-03T13:25:49.713+08:00</updated><title type='text'>:: Scenes from a fiesta ::</title><summary type='text'>I had a really great time at Lucban, Quezon during the Pahiyas last May 15 but I haven't found the time to write about it. So, for the meantime, here are two sets of photos from that trip:Scenes from a FiestaThe Colors of Pahiyas 2005Enjoy!</summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/111733695617752830/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=111733695617752830' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/111733695617752830'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/111733695617752830'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2005/05/scenes-from-fiesta.html' title=':: Scenes from a fiesta ::'/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-111396369141576718</id><published>2005-04-20T10:18:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2005-04-20T10:23:17.366+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Signing out for now ::I've just put up a new blog called Pixels &amp; Paper. That one better reflects my current interests, and I'll be posting there more often, at least for now.I'll be using this blog exclusively as a travelogue. I have a trip to Spain coming up in June, and maybe, if I get lucky, a couple of trips to Singapore and KL to do reserach for my dissertation. And after the </summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/111396369141576718/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=111396369141576718' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/111396369141576718'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/111396369141576718'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2005/04/signing-out-for-now-ive-just-put-up.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-111235080566166917</id><published>2005-04-01T18:10:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2005-04-01T18:31:27.893+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Depressed ::Boy, am I in a blue funk. The day started with the news of Terri Schiavo's death. My magazine is running late, my dissertation proposal is running very late. And now the news sites are full of reports about the alarming turn of events regarding the Pope's health.At least I'll be busy, trying to put the current issue of the magazine to bed and getting ready for tomorrow's trip to </summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/111235080566166917/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=111235080566166917' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/111235080566166917'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/111235080566166917'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2005/04/depressed-boy-am-i-in-blue-funk.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-111070635570143774</id><published>2005-03-13T17:30:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2005-03-13T17:32:46.263+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Goodbye to all that! ::Late last month I crossed the 6-month mark since I last smoked. Yahoo! I had gone without smoking for six months only once before, soon after I had an ulcer and had to endure a gastroscopy.I was never really a heavy smoker; just two or three sticks a day, especially after meals. But one day a friend challenged me: Since you smoke so little, why don't you just quit </summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/111070635570143774/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=111070635570143774' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/111070635570143774'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/111070635570143774'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2005/03/goodbye-to-all-that-late-last-month-i.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-111017608292683215</id><published>2005-03-07T14:09:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2005-03-07T14:14:42.930+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Coffee as therapy ::When I'm uptight and under pressure, I turn to... uh, coffee, to relax. I know, it’s strange. When you’re uptight and under pressure, coffee is the last thing you need, if you're a normal person.But I’m different. I grew up with coffee flowing through my veins. Credit that to—or blame it on, if you like—my paternal grandmother. Coffee flowed freely in her farmhouse in San </summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/111017608292683215/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=111017608292683215' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/111017608292683215'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/111017608292683215'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2005/03/coffee-as-therapy-when-im-uptight-and.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-110964337673341892</id><published>2005-03-01T10:15:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2005-03-01T10:16:16.736+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Heel: A dishonorable man; a cad ::Man, what a heel I've been.I went to the magazine office Monday last week, fuming inside because of yet another delay in my magazine's pre-production schedule. One other magazine in our stable was delayed, and I got hit by the domino effect. Two of the three layout artists that were supposed to have been working with me since the 15th were still working on the</summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/110964337673341892/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=110964337673341892' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110964337673341892'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110964337673341892'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2005/03/heel-dishonorable-man-cad-man-what.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-110964297670262802</id><published>2005-03-01T10:03:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2005-03-01T10:09:36.706+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Hotter!!! ::It's really hard to believe that around this time last year, tired and homesick and miserably cold in zero-degree weather in northern Spain, I fervently wished that I was back in the Philippines enjoying the warm and sunny summer.Well, back home I certainly am, but enjoying I sure as hell am not! I realize that I've been spoiled, having spent the last three summers away from the </summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/110964297670262802/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=110964297670262802' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110964297670262802'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110964297670262802'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2005/03/hotter-its-really-hard-to-believe-that.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-110904122630616499</id><published>2005-02-22T10:53:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2005-02-22T11:00:26.306+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Hot! ::Took this screen cap a couple of days ago. Whew! Is there anyone out there who doubts that summer is here?</summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/110904122630616499/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=110904122630616499' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110904122630616499'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110904122630616499'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2005/02/hot-took-this-screen-cap-couple-of.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-110861248391970424</id><published>2005-02-17T11:51:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2005-02-18T17:27:18.136+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: (Late) New Year resolutions ::Picked up this idea from a post on 43 things, and I could totally relate with most of the things in that list. I know it's kinda late, but what the heck. It's good to set some targets for the year. Here's my list:1. Write more. Keep this blog going, and post at least twice a week (whew!)2. Spend less time fooling around on the net and more time actually working. </summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/110861248391970424/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=110861248391970424' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110861248391970424'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110861248391970424'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2005/02/late-new-year-resolutions-picked-up.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-110860865015249177</id><published>2005-02-17T10:47:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2005-02-18T17:24:31.863+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Labor of love ::This is what's kept me from blogging these past two weeks. It took six liters of coffee over three sleepless nights (hadn't done that in a looong while) and added countless gray hairs to my thinning mane, but we finally finished the February issue of Mobile Philippines (m|ph) magazine, and it was out in the newsstands last week.Why so much dedication? I am, ehem, the new editor</summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/110860865015249177/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=110860865015249177' title='2 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110860865015249177'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110860865015249177'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2005/02/labor-of-love-this-is-whats-kept-me.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>2</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-110720385252980659</id><published>2005-02-01T03:47:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2005-02-18T17:27:45.986+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Bleah ::Yup, that’s 3:45 in the morning. I’ve been in the office for 12 straight hours now, and I don’t know what time we’re going to finish doing the layout for the next issue of the tech magazine I’m in charge of.This is the first issue that I’m supervising directly, and it hasn’t gone as smoothly as I hoped. I want to strangle the little ***** who has caused most of the delay, but I don’t </summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/110720385252980659/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=110720385252980659' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110720385252980659'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110720385252980659'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2005/02/bleah-yup-thats-345-in-morning.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-110570022792258206</id><published>2005-01-14T18:54:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2005-01-14T18:57:07.923+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Dispatch from the middle of nowhere ::I've spent the last two and a half weeks holed up in a small conference center in Laguna. It’s an away-from-the-world type of place, a cool and airy complex of one-storey buildings surrounded by trees and nestled at the back of a hill just off the highway between Calamba and Sto. Tomas, Batangas.The only drawback of this place is that it’s connected </summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/110570022792258206/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=110570022792258206' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110570022792258206'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110570022792258206'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2005/01/dispatch-from-middle-of-nowhere-ive.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-110457203034197738</id><published>2005-01-01T17:10:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2005-01-01T17:33:50.340+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Out of the Fire and into the Shadow ::  With the big family reunion out of the way and most of the holiday socials over, I finally had enough down time to catch up on my reading.I gave up on Fire after only 30 pages. It's not really a novel but a collection of essays and articles that might have been interesting when they first came out in magazines, but the book never managed to hold my</summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/110457203034197738/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=110457203034197738' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110457203034197738'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110457203034197738'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2005/01/out-of-fire-and-into-shadow-with-big.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-110450825800917766</id><published>2004-12-31T23:49:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2004-12-31T23:50:58.010+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: A prayer for the New Year ::May the Lord bless you and keep you.May the Lord let his face shine on you and be gracious to you.May the Lord uncover his face to you and bring you peace.This I truly wish for all, especially for those whose lives have been taken or destroyed by the earthquake and the tsunamis. It’s difficult to be in any kind of celebratory mood with the death toll rising by </summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/110450825800917766/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=110450825800917766' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110450825800917766'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110450825800917766'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2004/12/prayer-for-new-year-may-lord-bless-you.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-110407546509181315</id><published>2004-12-26T23:30:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2004-12-26T23:37:45.093+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Random photo 3 ::I've been too tired to blog these past couple of days. We have a big reunion coming up on the 28th, and I've spent most of my Christmas break so far preparing an interactive CD and other related materials. Here's a recent photo that for some reason helps me relax and loosen up a bit when my shoulder muscles begin begin to bunch up and ache. Ah, what I would give for a dip </summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/110407546509181315/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=110407546509181315' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110407546509181315'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110407546509181315'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2004/12/random-photo-3-ive-been-too-tired-to.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-110389560017274168</id><published>2004-12-24T21:30:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2004-12-25T00:16:35.036+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Merry Christmas! ::Well, this was a blast from the past. I was putting together an album for a big family reunion on the 28th and I asked my mom for some of the oldest pictures she had of the family. She sent over a bunch and I found one taken of me and my siblings thirty years ago. Yes, thirty years ago.It brought back pleasant memories of the time we lived in New Manila, in a house </summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/110389560017274168/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=110389560017274168' title='3 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110389560017274168'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110389560017274168'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2004/12/merry-christmas-well-this-was-blast.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>3</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-110324841898587766</id><published>2004-12-20T13:52:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2004-12-20T13:03:38.026+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: My bleeding heart ::I was sitting alone at KFC in Lipa City, Batangas, picking at some wilted lettuce leaves, chicken pieces, and dry croutons (it was offically called a “Caesar salad”) and feeling just a wee bit sorry for myself.A long day was finally coming to an end, and so far everything had turned out the exact opposite of how I planned it.I had looked forward to wrapping up a </summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/110324841898587766/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=110324841898587766' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110324841898587766'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110324841898587766'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2004/12/my-bleeding-heart-i-was-sitting-alone.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-110324831314709728</id><published>2004-12-18T13:37:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2004-12-18T13:44:34.783+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Random photo 2 ::The Lipa Cathedral at dusk, 15 December 2004.</summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/110324831314709728/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=110324831314709728' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110324831314709728'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110324831314709728'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2004/12/random-photo-2-lipa-cathedral-at-dusk.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-110315906589910560</id><published>2004-12-16T09:02:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2004-12-16T10:38:48.946+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Random photo 1 ::Time to look at something with more color than the journal articles I've been editing these last three days...</summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/110315906589910560/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=110315906589910560' title='2 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110315906589910560'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110315906589910560'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2004/12/random-photo-1-time-to-look-at.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>2</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-110291853042690339</id><published>2004-12-16T07:21:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2004-12-16T19:35:00.336+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Books to look forward to ::Both the New York Times and The Economist have come out with the list of best books of the year, and six titles made it to both lists:1. Alexander Hamilton, by Ron Chernow2. Snow, by Orhan Pamuk3. The Plot Against America, by Philip Roth4. The Master, by Colm Toibin5. Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare, by Stephen Greenblatt6. Chronicles:</summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/110291853042690339/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=110291853042690339' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110291853042690339'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110291853042690339'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2004/12/books-to-look-forward-to-both-new-york.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-110301016760599805</id><published>2004-12-14T21:51:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2004-12-15T10:34:02.506+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Mrs. Incredible ::I just had to post this before the day ended.As wonderful as my grandfather was, he couldn’t have raised his family the way he did all by himself. My grandmother, Isabel Ochangco Naval, who would have turned 98 years old today, gave up here professional practice as a pharmacist and took the lead in raising their 12 children.She cooked for the family, sewed dresses for </summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/110301016760599805/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=110301016760599805' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110301016760599805'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110301016760599805'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2004/12/mrs.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-110292626702471729</id><published>2004-12-13T21:44:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2004-12-13T21:45:16.913+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Mr. Incredible ::His name was Macario Israel Naval, and he was my grandfather. Born into a family of 14—yes, 14—children, he begot 12 of his own. A Fullbright scholar who finished his AB and Master’s degree in Iowa, he worked as a high school teacher, then became a superintendent of schools, traveling all over the country. He later became the first president of the Philippine Normal </summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/110292626702471729/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=110292626702471729' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110292626702471729'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110292626702471729'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2004/12/mr.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-110274617658800642</id><published>2004-12-13T14:22:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2004-12-13T21:25:33.936+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Why I blog ::When I mentioned to a friend that I was blogging again, he looked at me incredulously and asked: “Where do you find the time to blog?”Good question, actually. On days when work is light, relatively speaking, I feel like I’m working on at least two full-time jobs: instructor (aka teacher) in a small private university, PhD student, part-time tech writer and editor, reunion </summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/110274617658800642/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=110274617658800642' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110274617658800642'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110274617658800642'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2004/12/why-i-blog-when-i-mentioned-to-friend.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-110255043963291250</id><published>2004-12-09T07:46:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2004-12-13T21:26:28.413+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Book buying binge! ::Just the other day I felt like I had found a P500 bill on the floor. Wandering around NBS Megamall, I stopped by what I like to call their “bargain book bin,” which is actually just a table overflowing with hardbound books discarded by American public libraries. Armed with a little bit of patience and a good memory for names and titles, you can walk off with an armful </summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/110255043963291250/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=110255043963291250' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110255043963291250'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110255043963291250'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2004/12/book-buying-binge-just-other-day-i.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-110247359456163433</id><published>2004-12-08T10:27:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2004-12-13T21:27:13.463+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: It's feeling a lot like Christmas ::I ended my morning chores about an hour earlier than expected, and now I am in Shangri-la Plaza sipping a cup of freshly brewed coffee and snacking on a slice of Sugarhouse's Turtle Pie while working on the drafts of various articles.Days like these, when everything seems to come together so nicely--a Wi-Fi-equipped laptop, a Wi-Fi-enabled mall (yup, the</summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/110247359456163433/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=110247359456163433' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110247359456163433'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110247359456163433'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2004/12/its-feeling-lot-like-christmas-i-ended.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-110243276951053166</id><published>2004-12-07T23:10:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2004-12-13T21:28:01.420+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Fire: Sebastian Junger ::I picked up this book for a measly P50 bucks about a month ago at one of those National Bookstore book bins filled with discarded American library books. I never had a chance to read The Perfect Storm, nor see the movie, but I was intrigued  by the fact that the movie made a ton of money. And since the books is usually scads better than the movie, Junger must be a </summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/110243276951053166/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=110243276951053166' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110243276951053166'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110243276951053166'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2004/12/fire-sebastian-junger-i-picked-up-this.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-110137924324840692</id><published>2004-11-25T18:36:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2004-12-13T21:28:25.266+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Oops, spoke too soon ::Almost immediately after I decided to start posting again, I got buried under a pile of work. Five magazine articles, two newletters, one brochure, and an academic journal have kept me busy these last four weeks or so. The deadlines haven't been too strict so as to keep me up late many nights, but the work flow has been ceaseless, the list of things to do endless...</summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/110137924324840692/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=110137924324840692' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110137924324840692'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/110137924324840692'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2004/11/oops-spoke-too-soon-almost-immediately.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-109814863516699989</id><published>2004-10-19T08:59:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2004-12-13T21:29:27.223+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: One year, four months, and 28 days...::...have passed since I last posted here. Maintaining this blog has been a roller coaster ride of sorts -- lots of ups and downs. Why am I writing again? What accounts for this 'up' phase? I had a lot of unexpected downtime when I came down with the flu, and had some time to check out the blogs of some friends like this Electric Journal and A Bugged Life</summary><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/feeds/109814863516699989/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5294838&amp;postID=109814863516699989' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/109814863516699989'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/109814863516699989'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2004/10/one-year-four-months-and-28-days.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-94730301</id><published>2003-05-22T18:19:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2004-12-13T21:30:33.963+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Going places 3 ::Last Sunday, I went out to visit three places: Torreciudad, Barbastro, and Zaragoza. We were out for 13 hours, traveled 650 kilometers all in all, something unthinkable in the Philippines given the condition of our roads and the traffic.The weather on Sunday was perfect for the trip. I peered out the window as I was dressing and saw that we were going to have a sunny day; </summary><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/94730301'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/94730301'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2003/05/going-places-3-last-sunday-i-went-out.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-94491724</id><published>2003-05-17T16:42:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2004-12-13T21:31:27.253+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Hanging on ::After being in Pamplona for a little over three weeks, the novelty of the place has worn off somewhat and the toll of all the adjustments I’ve had to make—to the culture, the cuisine, the language, the schedule, the people, the lack of a social life—is beginning to make itself felt.I have settled into a daily routine (classes, research, reading), and at the end of each day I </summary><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/94491724'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/94491724'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2003/05/hanging-on-after-being-in-pamplona-for.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-94491704</id><published>2003-05-17T16:40:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2004-12-13T21:32:43.160+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Learning the language ::In my evolution as an aspiring Spanish speaker (I realize that I have to master the language if I want to show the professors here that I’ve got what it takes to get this doctorate done), I have reached the “pa-este este” stage. Which is rather ironic, given my upbringing as an iskolar ng bayan in the University of the Pipol. And I can’t even get it right all the time</summary><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/94491704'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/94491704'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2003/05/learning-language-in-my-evolution-as.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-94252663</id><published>2003-05-13T15:54:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2004-12-13T21:33:16.306+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Culinary curiosities ::Last week I experienced some “firsts” as far as Spanish cuisine is concerned: migas and cuajada.Migas is a dish made from bread torn or shredded into little pieces, toasted lightly with some olive oil, garlic, and some other stuff. Think fried rice but using bread instead of rice. We had it as a side dish to accompany roast lamb. Excellent.I had seen cuajada served</summary><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/94252663'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/94252663'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2003/05/culinary-curiosities-last-week-i.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-94252620</id><published>2003-05-13T15:53:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2004-12-13T21:34:53.220+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Going places 2 ::We had excellent weather last weekend: lots of sun, a light breeze blowing most of the day and I used up most of Saturday to go out for a long leisurely walk.First stop was the university campus, as it was also the day of the university sports fest. The way they organize the sportsfest here is impressive, with more than 50 activities going on all over the campus the whole </summary><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/94252620'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/94252620'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2003/05/going-places-2-we-had-excellent.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-94045062</id><published>2003-05-09T19:07:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2004-12-13T21:35:36.130+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Desperately seeking Starbucks ::As a confessed coffee addict, I was impressed to see even the simplest cafeterias and cafes sport at least one espresso machine each. But admiration quickly turned to dismay when I realized that every cafeteria and café and bar and restaurant had only an espresso machine. I like my coffee American style, taking it slowly while working or while talking with </summary><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/94045062'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/94045062'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2003/05/desperately-seeking-starbucks-as.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-94045025</id><published>2003-05-09T19:06:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2004-12-13T21:36:37.316+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Weather and wardrobe 3 ::The weather has lightened up a bit and we’ve even had a bit of sun these last couple of days. It’s funny to see how people back in Manila seek the comfort of air-conditioned malls and offices when the sun is out but people in Pamplona turn out in droves and fill up the benches in the parks and other opens paces to soak in the sun whenever it comes out.Until my </summary><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/94045025'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/94045025'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2003/05/weather-and-wardrobe-3-weather-has.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-93852457</id><published>2003-05-06T17:27:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2004-12-13T21:43:14.806+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Weather and wardrobe 2 ::We are going through a period of crummy weather. After two days of glorious sunshine in Madrid during the Pope’s weekend visit, we have had two days of clouds and rainshowers. What a rude welcome to reality!:: Wickedly wonderful weekend 1 ::I spent the weekend in Madrid to join the two major activities that had been organized for the Pope—a vigil with the youth on</summary><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/93852457'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/93852457'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2003/05/weather-and-wardrobe-2-we-are-going.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-93586336</id><published>2003-05-01T17:37:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2004-12-13T21:42:08.586+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: May day ::May 1 is a holiday here as well, and it had always seemed funny to me that everyone celebrates labor day by NOT working. I’m not complaining, though.Below are a couple of entries that I had been working on at the beginning of the week. By the way, today is a cold day. It´s nearly 12 noon, and the sun hasn´t come out yet. The temperature has remained somewhere between 10 and 12 </summary><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/93586336'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/93586336'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2003/05/may-day-may-1-is-holiday-here-as-well.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-93297595</id><published>2003-04-26T23:09:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2004-12-13T21:41:33.050+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Fear of flying ::No, I’m not actually afraid of flying. In fact, I was really looking forward to this trip, not the least because it offers me a chance to get a way from the almost unbearable heat of summer in Manila (is it just me or is it getting hotter each summer?). But I dreaded the thought of a flight lasting more than 24 hours from the time I boarded the plane in Manila to the time I </summary><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/93297595'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/93297595'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2003/04/fear-of-flying-no-im-not-actually.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-93233956</id><published>2003-04-25T19:18:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2004-12-13T21:40:42.080+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: I´m here! ::Got to Madrid safe and sound after a 25 hour flight. It took me 36 hours to get to the place I´m staying in Pamplona, door to door. Whew! I´m dog tired, and will post stories from my flight in a few days.</summary><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/93233956'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/93233956'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2003/04/im-here-got-to-madrid-safe-and-sound.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294838.post-92823183</id><published>2003-04-18T13:52:00.000+08:00</published><updated>2004-12-13T21:37:43.326+08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><summary type='text'>:: Back to Spain ::Well, I'm just about all set to go back to Spain for another round of coursework for my PhD. I'll be leaving on Wednesday, April 23, flying Thai Airways, and arriving in the morning of Thursday, April 24. Instead of writing several e-mails to different sets of friends and relatives several times during my two-month trip, I'll just be posting to this blog every few days.</summary><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/92823183'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5294838/posts/default/92823183'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://myspanishsojourn.blogspot.com/2003/04/back-to-spain-well-im-just-about-all.html' title=''/><author><name>Jason</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11872781019884791599</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='26' height='32' src='http://m-ph.com/blog/images/myspanishsojourn/montblanc-glow.jpg'/></author></entry></feed>
