A slightly more serious post, perhaps... [post-edited]

The Philippines has been hit by typhoon Ketsana (a.k.a. "Ondoy"), claiming around 250 deceased and countless more injured (Oct. 1, 2009). This has been the most destructive typhoon ever to hit the Phils in 40 years -- and there's yet another one to come ("Parma", a.k.a. "Pepeng"). According to one of my cousins, it has hit the country already, though they only experience the "outskirts" of the storm rather than the eye of it. They expect the typhoon to reach full strength this coming Saturday. ABS-CBN News (Filipino news program) claim there to be at least 2 possible tracks Pepeng can follow: Either it can directly cross Luzon in a NW path and thus head for Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand, or it can change its path upon hitting the island to a more NNW direction and thus head for Hong Kong and Taiwan. So the Philippines and the rest of the world are bracing themselves for what's coming.



Please pray for the souls of the ones affected by it as well as the country as a whole. And if you can, please send in donations or any kind of assistance at all:

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/09/27/09/tropical-storm-ondoy-how-you-can-help

Here are also some Norwegian pages of interest:

http://www.caritas.no/news.asp?c=214&id=10494

http://www.rodekors.no/Nyheter_og_presse/Nyheter/Innsamling_til_ofrene_pa_Filippinene_og_i_Vietnam/

People are doing what they can to assist those in need at the moment. The Catholic Church in Norway are arranging extra collections on Oct. 3 and 4 to raise funds for Filipino victims, as do several non-profit organizations worldwide. (If you don't want to transfer money online, you can always go to your nearest Catholic church, find a priest and tell him you wish to give a donation. They're more than willing to pass them on!)

Just to clarify, none of my relatives have been affected by the typhoon as far as I know (knock on wood!), but the Filipino people need our assistance. Please, please help in any way you can. A little goes a long, long way.

My aforementioned cousin and his colleagues, friends and family are also doing what they can to raise funds. The destruction has been heartbreakingly extensive, even to the point that President Arroyo opened up her presidential palace to give shelter and food to some of the victims and their families. She has her faults, to be sure, but this -- as certain other feats during her presidential career -- shows to me a greatness of mind which is much worthy of admiration. I totally admire her for this deed and hope for everybody's sake that Pepeng won't wreak as much havoc as believed.

So to everyone reading this post, please keep the victims in your prayers and pray for the new typhoon to change its direction. There has been enough damage done already.

Signing off,

Elise

Nobody told me there'd be days like these.

In case you didn't know, this is part of the chorus in the all-too-famous John Lennon song "Nobody Told Me". It couldn't be more fitting right now, considering the fact that I've got a cold. Again. Ugh. I'd just barely gotten rid of the first wave (hardly even that, seeing as it's still coming out at the moment) when suddenly, after having laughed my head off last evening/night with a couple of friends, I noticed I got a little sumthin'-sumthin' in my throat. In other words, a hairball. Uy. I went to bed last night with the voice of a gecko and woke up today only to find it was still there. Topped off with my head spinning slightly. Again, uy. So, as in so many times before, I've now stocked up with grapes, a banana, 3 apples, soup for dinner, tea, infusions, lemon juice, honey and peppermint essential oil to gargle with (if worst comes to worst) and to just clear the air of my flat.

And then there's the left-over chocs from last night for the more extreme cases of self-pity. ;-)

"Nobody told me there'd be days like these..."

To keep myself preoccupied, then, the professors have been so kind and generous as to overload us with reading material and a presentation next week. Or well, technically we're talking about two. Yarr.

There is so friggin' much to do this year you have no idea. But then again I just might have been spoiled with only having three 2hr classes last semester and sort of waltzing through it. I might have gotten too used to having more time than enough to read up on the texts and take notes. Now, however, eh. Not so much. Or rather, not as much.

Again, "nobody told me there'd be days like these..."

So yeah, anyway, I went to my second Catholic mass on campus last Wednesday. "Why only second?" you may ask so cleverly. Because of classes always colliding with this mass. They still do. However, a friend/classmate of mine invited me to join in on mass + lunch considering the usual Wed. lecture was canceled, so I did. A few people there, actually, although we were only 7 people. Of which were one priest and myself as the only girl there. Hm. A potentially socially awkward situation, but actually it was quite nice. I felt like I fit in instantly. Needless to say it was all small talk, but for me it was nice to actually get to know some Catholics there; and practicing Catholics at that. And no, no potential bf's there. It was all strictly platonic. I'm not exactly looking for one at the moment either. Don't expect me to elaborate further on that.

"Nobody told me there'd be days like these

Strange days indeed

Strange days indeed..."

Signing off,

Elise

My latest find!

One acronym: LOL!



This guy who dubbed this vid is seriously talented!

Check this one out while you're at it:



And here's the original:




Signing off,
Elise