Dispatches by Adrian Conoza

It’s been a long time since I returned here in this blog. While I was in the campus, I didn't have the time to write here, even to keep a journal. Many things have happened in these last months that comprised the second semester of my first year in college. Finally, I'm done with first year. I miss a bit doing the things that kept me moving previously, though. I've missed writing here, and I believe there's much to tell about out of all I've been through while the Dispatch was left dormant. This time I start with this question: how were these past days and months? The answer: not easy, but great.   Not easy . It's not supposed to be, anyway. The first semester of first year was uneasy as well at several, unforgettable points. Yet, the second half of the game was more burdensome. My classmates and I saw the bulk of schoolwork we have had to overcome—from readings, projects, presentations, even an event and a research! An ordeal it was—an ordeal that consisted of...

“I may not be where I need to be but I thank God I am not where I used to be.” ― Joyce Meyer, speaker and author That quote finally had made an impact on me at this point of my life. Why is it so? Let me explain. Picture credit: www.the-spearhead.com In the past days I've been writing about my life during my third year in high school, which I've centered around my unsuccessful leadership as the elected president of the section where I was in. I've sought my journals to weave a draft day by day. As I've read through my (almost) daily accounts, recollecting sudden happenings in my life made me reflect how hard life has been at that time, and how much I learned from the year-long burden. My eyes and heart, undergoing an ongoing "coming-of-age", were opened to many things, especially the reality of life. "Hand to Face 1" by Tim Patrick Picture credit: http://www.timpatrick.co.uk/ Among those realities, this stands out: leading is not an easy job, especia...

Picture credit: time.com People often see the youth as bringers of a good future, and a good future does await for each and every youth; though sadly it isn't much accessible to some. Young people are the ones who start to learn about life, both in and out of school. They also begin to see, experience, and learn different things. Yet, they are also exposed to the ruinous and mind-altering world in front of them. I have fears about my generation, fears about my fellow youth including the ones nearest to me. Here they are: Picture credit: time.com 1. I fear that the youth will pose, and be exposed, on sexually explicit media. Prostitution has just gone into print and video. The youth take off their dignity as much as something (or everything) is taken off them for the craving of maladjusted eyes, impure hearts, and defiled minds. No matter how much celebrities say " Hindi naman masyadong bastos ", it is still vulgar. However a female may be hailed for her figure—just to be ...

Source: www.ebookstorm.com Many of us still read teen-oriented novels, from the foreign bestsellers of John Green and Veronica Roth to the local stories of HaveYouSeenThisGirl. There's more to that, however. We miss a lot from old young adult (YA) novels, those of which—unfortunately—can only be found (or better say unearth) luckily in secondhand bookstores. There are many YA novels that I now consider classics (not only Tom Sawyer or Little Girls !), but for this review let's take an American author who was for 10 years a chemistry teacher—Paul Zindel. He writes so much about the realities of adolescence, starting with Confessions of A Teenage Baboon . He reveals more of those in My Darling, My Hamburger , a novel that is now around 44 years old. The story centers around Maggie and her best friend Elizabeth (or Liz). Dennis and Sean, best friends as well, joins along with the two in a roller-coaster course each of them will ride on. They are all in the senior year, thus they ...

Source: http://www.katarinaforss.com/img/silence.jpg I know it in myself. I cannot deny it. Many people, especially very close friends in high school, see me as a talkative (at the least) and engaging guy. By timing and exposure, I get to speak and talk and converse among people. Yet, many still have an impression of me as the opposite, and I don't deny that. At many circumstances, I'm silent. Quiet. Static. Loner. But, silent is the best term I'll accept. Perhaps this is one of my marks of being a writer; a mark making my desire for writing really fit to me; perhaps the reason why I'm inclined to make my voice heard through written words rather than spoken ones. But, believe me, I want to break that silence. I've already did that before, but I want to do it again. I seek to break the barriers that are still there, and have more connections while still being myself. I've recently heard and learned that it is said that there are 4 personalities in general: sangui...

I'm here again for another run of 101 Songs. We have already counted 31 songs (if you want to start from part 1, here's a link ), and we're now counting from 70 to 71, ranging from rock to electronic rock to dream pop to OPM. So try to listen to the 10 following songs. I hope you'll like them. 70. " The fear has gripped me but here I go " Breezeblocks|Alt-J We're having another back to back here, now from a British indie rock band I've discovered on the radio, Alt-J( which is really the Greek alphabet delta ). Squeaky lead vocals, harmonized voices, pounding beats and gritty guitars. Though they sound odd, Alt-J makes smooth flows in their music. 69.   " Blended by the lights " Fitzpleasure|Alt-J While Breezeblocks is something smooth and cool, this one sounds more like rock. They just don't sound odd at their songs, but even at their titles. Nevertheless, their unusual sound is awesomely great. 68. "I'm breathing in the chemic...

The countdown continues. On this post, electronica and rock continues to capture my attention and enter my ears. But most of them are discoveries from TV and radio. I hope you'll enjoy the songs from number 90 to 81. Why don't you try listening to them? Here they are. 90. " Sharp memory talks.  I hear around the room." Smalltalk|Ultraista I discovered this track from The Late Show With David Letterman . I stumbled upon this electronica trio, and watched their performance at the show, and found another nice song to insert in my playlist. I like the drumbeat here, which marks their being influenced by a genre called afrobeat. And as an avid listener of electronic music, I like the layers of synths and loops, from beginning to end. The vocals, which also has its own layers, complement those beats and synths. Aside from that, the title is somewhat striking. Small talk is now a part of everyday communication. It is somewhat a bridge, a small bridge, something to pass time...

Third year, for me, came with new experiences, new subjects, new friends, new burdens, new pains, new lessons, and—thankfully—new music to hear. At first year I listened mostly to motown, disco, and rock music, a bit of 70s and 80s, and a bit of current. Then at second year, I discovered the sounds that emerged in the 80s, from New Wave to synthpop to the simple pop. And last school year, I was glad to stumble upon 90s to today's music—alternative rock, indie, OPM, and pop as well—and found myself concluding that today's music isn't all trash and swears. I like some songs because of their well-written lyrics, which made me feel the way I felt at certain circumstances. Some of them I found interesting and pleasing to my ears because of the prettily-weaved composition. But I like most of them because of both. With no further ado, here are the 101 Songs of My Third Year. We'll have these "chart" in weekly intervals until we reach number 1. Here are the first 11 s...

The floor is full of boys and girls. The lights turn dim, but they still dance. The  notable  opening  guitar chords of Spandau Ballet's "True" is heard. The mood turns slow. I open my hand to a simply pretty girl, and she does hold it. Those speakers are already blurting out the song's "Huh-huh-huh-huuuuuh-huh...", together with those soothing keyboards. I and the girl dance. And it is a moment to cherish, an event that just last for some time. Well, that didn't really happen. I just thought it would happen that way. But prom did happen—that first of the twice-in-a-lifetime event that only occurs in your high school life, and in your adolescence. It's a unique happening in your life as a student wherein you do anything in your power to socialize, dance either with your crush or simply a friend, party as long as you want, and be the man or woman you are. It is where everything turns formal, hopefully not as formal as my acquaintances perceive me.This...