3D Cityscape

I had previously posted about the 3D class I'm enrolled in. By the end of the semester, here's what I was able to do. It may not wow an advanced graphic artist but I guess it isn't that bad for a first-timer.

Sleepless October Nights

I find it hard to remember what months, according to my elementary Science, are when the nights seem longer than days but this month, it made literal sense to me. One adjective would generally describe my October days: EXHAUSTING. Now, think of its synonyms and its synonyms’ synonyms to elaborate.

Sleepless nights debuted on the transition of the preceding month in the peak of rushing articles for our school publication. All in all, I turned in 5 articles including my column as the newly appointed Associate Editor. And then there were the nights spent in the computer laboratory making a 3D cityscape as a final requirement for the course. For a couple of days, my classmate and I stayed until 11PM but these were also the days I filed for leave from work hence I start working on the project at 9AM daily. On the third night (Oct. 18) which, aside from being the night before submission, is when I felt sick of working on it as if eternally thus I committed to myself that I’m not going home until it’s done for good. Believe me; I seldom acquire such determination especially towards schoolwork. This entailed eating dinner past 10 o’clock in a 24-hour convenience store and then getting back to work. With only our sense of humor for entertainment, we continued until we saw the first light of dawn through the tinted glass of our building and we greeted each other good morning. By 5AM, I was feeling nauseated I could have thrown up right in front of the monitor. Maybe if I haven’t yet worn glasses, I might have succumbed earlier. We left school by 6:30AM, relieved that it’s finally over. Is it a must that since we’re modeling a cityscape, we likewise suffer the sleep-deprived fate of architecture students?

I broke my own Guinness record of staying awake the whole night through; the former I recall was 3AM dizzy from party lights and not from computer glare. I never imagined I could stay up that long – not even during wakes for deceased relatives.

“One down”– the cityscape was done but not the others sacrificed for its completion. Few days ago, for another three consecutive nights, I had to sleep past midnight to make four PowerPoint presentations for another subject. Thanks to my Vitamin B and to the Presidential Proclamation on barangay elections which extended the weekends.

Green Day’s hit says “Wake Me Up When September Ends”, but please, don’t keep me awake throughout October either.

Qualifying for PAC’s Protocol

Despite how rigid my October activities had been, one notably interesting thing that happened is my acceptance as a student volunteer for the 20^th Philippine Advertising Congress (PAC) to be held here in Subic on November 21 to 24.

It was really unexpected considering that I was among what I personally label as “compensatory batch”. Foremost, due to the nature of the congress, priority recruits are students taking up fields similar to Mass Communications, Business Administration, and Tourism. Second, the first call for volunteers ended early September and I was hesitant to submit an application then. I was just enticed by my peers from the Engineering Department who also filled-up application forms when the second opportunity knocked.

An interview was scheduled on a Saturday morning (October 6) and there were some 50 other students who came from our school and another one. My friends and I felt a little intimidated to see a number of them “dressed for the occasion” as we would say while we came in denim pants and shirts and I haven’t even styled my hair with my trusty crème. Thankfully, I always have with me my ChapStick to swipe on and make my lips look hydrated.

I belonged to the first set interviewed. Although we’re given little time to give answers, the queries were not tough – the interviewers seem to be. You know how one appears courteous for the sake of professionalism but wouldn’t initiate a conversation on a casual setting. But I guess that’s normal especially that they’re the bosses of the committees.

A week after, I’ve learned the good news through another qualifier and friend. I’m considering my experience as a volunteer for the 23^rd Southeast Asian Games a couple of years ago as my greatest asset over the others. I’m excited enough to be accepted but being accepted for the committee on protocol is a bonus. As how the orientations go, it’s convincing that the Protocol Volunteers are given priority. As of this writing, I haven’t heard news that the results for other committees have been released already. Second, Protocol Volunteers are to be issued custom-made uniforms; our measurements had been taken by the couturier and we’ll be wearing a different one everyday in the duration of the congress. Third, when I’ve met the other qualifiers during the measurements, I can tell that they certainly are selected few: I’ve met them in various local pageants hence the beautiful faces in the city. Ahem. I belong! :-)

So much with the excitement, I hope nothing gets on the way and I’ll do well in the training.

A New Vision

The first “Ber” month left me a “surprise” although I did anticipate it beforehand: my eyesight have depreciated. Twice had my head suddenly ached unbearably while I’m in the office and I feel like I really had to close my eyes. It seems like I’ll puke when I try to resist it by continuing to work in front of the computer monitor.

I planned to have my eyes checked and had asked for several recommendations. Truly, Jehovah-jireh; the perfect chance came when a friend optometrist of our school president did a charity at the school by giving free eye check-up. The first thing she asked me was whether I’m having a check-up because my vision is really blurred or if I’m having headaches, I told her my story. The refraction test revealed that I have astigmatism. Overnight, I pondered on this and shared it to my family and to my workmates.

The next morning, I confirmed to the opto that I’ll be ordering glasses. I ordered one of her highest-priced frames which anyway are still cheap compared to how much other optometrists would price theirs.

Non-conventional is my style thus I picked a white Essenxa frame with black stitch details and 14 of 15 people commented it looks good on me. The honeymoon phase took just a couple of days and I’m now comfortable wearing it.