New Addiction

I haven't been sleeping right these past few days. Just three nights ago, I slept around four in the morning. Mind you, These sleepless nights weren't the result of thesis work or any academic stuff.

I found a new addiction - Tong Its. With bets of course. Not that I just learned how to play it. Even before I entered high school I was already adept to the process of the game. I even played with a friend's grandmother who lives near our house every after school when I was in grade six. Imagine that! I was born to be gambler. But back then I always went home empty handed. I even steal my mom's collection of old coins [the yellowish colored one peso coin still without the carabao] from her box just to be able to continue with the game in hope that I could still reclaim my loss. Usually I didn't and until now I still don't.

My tong it "craze" started just week when I joined my friends while they were playing. They taught me the do's and dont's of the game and more importantly the cost of every ace and quadruplest you have. Apparently, I didn't know about until last week.

Currently, every ace will cost you a peso, another one peso for a set of quadruplet, Tong its ot todas will cost you two bucks, two bucks for fight or laban and when the game ends [either because there are no cards left or somebody fights and even when somebody disposed all of his/her cards thus the name tong its] and you have no house or bahay you will pay another two bucks. Combination of the fees are also possible.

The bet usually starts at five bucks and then a peso every after that until somebody "hits" or have own twice because that is when he/she gets all the bets in the pot and the betting starts all over again with a starting bet of five bucks and so on.

There are things you can learn from this game besides handling your cards of course. First, you have to be patient. Try to wait for teh right cards. Caution though, you should also see to it that you dispose all the "high" cards when you feel there's no hope that the right card will come your way. Letting go is also another thing you should always keep in mind.

Second, you must have the guts. Remember, you money is at stake here. There are many instances where you can say "fight." One is when teh total numeric valur of your cards are really low and the other is when you think your cards have no hope of winning. Try to brave.

I just hope this new addiction won't stay in my system for long...

I am complete

Earlier today I went to the CMC Administration office and asked if they received a fax from Sir Agca. They told me to look it up in the files near the fax machine.

And they did! There were two copies of the accomplished completion form. A big smile covered my face and I felt like I wanted to scream with joy. I hurriedly went to the Filipino department which is one jeepney-ride away from our college. I talked to ate Susan who was as sweet as an angel and asked if the completion form was already okay and I can go on with my life.

She sighed. Then silence. Then another sigh. Then she consulted with a woman beside her. Then she told me that the registrar might not accept the form because the signature wasn't on ink.

I wanted to feel sick. It seemed like a big dark cloud came over my head ready to emit its thunders. I gathered myself and asked what else could I do to remedy the problem. Although in the back of my mind I know exactly what I have to do. I must email Sir Agca and ask him to snail mail the form to the Filipino department. But when would that arrive? I asked myself. I didn't have a choice, did I?

She sighed again and then finally she spoke. She would talk to somebody and ask about it or she could ask the Filipino department head to countersign the form to make it valid. I almost leapt with joy from what I heared. Thank God! I have been going crazy about the form for like three weeks. And now It is finally closing to an end.

But there's still no guarantee. I have to go back to the Filipino department to check if teh form will be okay. I just hope it will.

To Ate Susan, Maraming Salamat Po