Dear Balong,
Wassup ketcup? And I don’t mean Ash Ketchum. I know you get the Pokemon reference right there. This letter won’t be mushy or anything like that. I would just like to tell you how proud I am that I have a younger brother who is taking up his PhD right now while teaching (and playing Farmville 2) on the side.
Keep doing what you’re doing. Keep running. Keep getting your body, your mind, your spirit into shape. Get some more stamps on that passport. Eat more good food and just jog it off later.
Hay, we are growing up. I can’t believe we’re teasing (and ranting) about wedding plans already (oops, Mom and Dad might read that). But we’ve come so far from those two little squimples doing foot wrestling on the Armidale couch.
Keep in touch, continue to let me know what’s going on in your life. Though it’s only by a year-and-a-half, know that I’ll always be your proud big sistah.
So. Bye for now,
Ate Mari
scribbles and stories 
Hi Ate Mari!
Oo nga noh, that squimpol foot wrestling got lost in the deepest parts of my subconscious until you brought it up. Funny that you wrote to me today; I had just told a story to my class about how I was selected as the feature writer over you when we were in high school. Then I proceeded to tell them that I eventually reached the nationals (and got disappointed by the commercialization seen in Boracay) only to finish college as a physics major who ironically writes straight-to-the-point technical/scientific papers. I failed to mention to them that I stopped writing while my big sis still continues to write – I only remembered it during my post-class reflections.
About keeping my body in shape, I’m on an intermittent fasting diet right now. It involves a daily 16 hour fast – skipping breakfast, essentially. It’s supposed to make my body go from using sugars from food as fuel to using the body’s stored fat. I’m just about to start week two and so far the sugar cravings seem to have disappeared. It’s also supposed to help in one’s longevity, among other benefits like sensitivity to insulin and more energy once the body has adapted. (see http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2013/12/20/intermittent-fasting-weight-loss.aspx)
Last week I had to give up my Farmville time because of PhD requirements which proves that at least I still have self-control. I remember being addicted to the newer versions (though they were already a few years old) of Pokemon via emulator as well.
About weddings, I hope yours will get rolling soon… so I can follow shortly, hopefully. *fingers crossed*
Long comment! Reply, I mean.
Sige lang, sige. Let me know how your intermittent fast works out.
And about weddings – sige lang, sige again. ;)