Sunday, October 31, 2004

city of pines

When was the last time I wrote something in this blog?

The answer would be a resounding…I can’t remember…ages ago.

Don’t even begin to ask why because I have tons of reasons and when I cite them, you would probably just shrug your shoulder and go away since I would sound nagging.

Two weeks ago I was in Baguio attending a seminar/workshop on communication theories and research and truly I did enjoy every minute of it. It was, for me challenging and rewarding.

The challenging part is when you, as a teacher became a student for a week and try to grasp everything about the two above stated topics you teach for one semester and jam it in your head for one week, crazy? It is true. Imagine sitting there and practically reformatting your brain so that you could accommodate information that you could share with your students. I feel so blessed because one uncanny thing about me is that I enjoy seminars.

The rewarding part is that you make friends. This is not the first time that I joined a seminar workshop, but this is the first time that I engaged my self in a seminar that is scheduled for one whole week (imagine we checked-in at 1:00 PM, Sunday, October 17 and checked-out at 10 PM, Friday, October 22).

This is also the first time I went to Baguio that is not for the purpose of summer get away and I have to say it’s really freezing! But I did enjoy the weather and of course the benefits that goes along with it like wearing cool jackets (track, racer, denim, you name it I brought it!), sipping tea, sipping coffee, sipping hot chocolate (and take note it is not drinking, it is sipping!), walking through the city (and I mean it literally) and the final benefit that I felt so blessed with is the ability to have new friends.

Before I left for Baguio I prayed that ‘all’ the participants would be at least nice. I am so petrified on that fact that I have to be there for a week and I simply cannot bear the idea that there would be people whom I will not like or will not like me. Not that I am a people pleaser but I believe in harmony. Harmony can bring the best out of every situation. Do you notice that when the crowd is somewhat pleasing they become more creative and productive?

And I got my wish. I have met wonderful people in my stay there. I have met dedicated, intelligent and self-less individuals. Three I have became close with.

These girls that I cannot name (for reasons that i did;nt have their permissions) are an epitome of ‘cool’ educators. As in. They were like me only they are more ‘self-less’.

Take for example 'maja' (lets call her maja because she looks likemy firend maja) one friend of mine who teaches in CLSU. She graduated from UP but chose to teach in a provincial state university and would even go as far as providing teaching materials to her students. She would go libraries here in Manila to scout newly published books, she would improvise techniques to which her students can better relate to the subjects which are designed for urban setting and technologically inclined. I mean, it’s a provincial state university, you don’t expect something that is highly techi in those institution (don’t frown, it’s true, in PUP up to now they still don’t have an editing equipment, consider the proximity that the school is in manila, now try to use logic, what about other state U outside manila?). Yet she is more than willing to provide up to the point that it would be from her personal stuff. Some people would say that it is too much, but if your lawful calling is teaching the word ‘enough’ and ‘too much’ is flexible, reversible and most of the time unidentifiable.

Two of my friends came from Lyceum Batangas and both had put me in awe, since they practically ‘know’ what they’re doing. A lot of times there are teachers who are classic examples of bluffers. They pretend they know what they teach but when you listen carefully they don’t.

One new friend of mine from Lyceum (let's call her 'engaged' which refuse to explaine) took time to listen to my fear in numbers and patiently taught me the beauty that was statistic. At first my head was really dictating that this would be just another stat session where in I would be invisible, but this new friend took time and engage trust. She really patiently taught me statistics. Everything that I missed back in college, I have learned in one session. From identifying if the question is nominal to revealing that there is no need to compute because there is SPSS. I laughed in the end because she broke the news that there is already a soft ware which would do everything for me (that is SPSS, and all i ahve to do is subscribe).

Last one (which i prefer to call 'jasmin'), is the person who I laughed with the hardest… We even laugh at the mention of ‘donkey’ (with the british accent) I don’t know why but we are like high school students who went on a vacation to their granny’s old house. We laugh every single minute. I was really impressed with her enunciation and her confidence in throwing wholesome jokes. She was in my system in less than two days. We laughed at almost everything, from the site of Hip Hops in Baguio up to the mannerism of every speakers (specially the ‘among others’ part) we even went as far as to texting each other while having the work shop even if we sat on the same row and just two persons away from each other. We stayed up late because we engaged ourselves with ‘lakwatsa’ and ‘harutan’.

I miss them.

I thank God for allowing me to meet three beautiful individuals. Though I am not worthy of such blessing He gave it to me that I am again in astonish of how great He is.

These people really touched my soul. And I am looking forward in seeing them again.

Lesson learned:

1. Believe in Mr. Tan when he say 'Pupunta ka ng Baguio sa ayaw at gusto mo!
2. Go to Baguio even if the temperature is sub-zero.
3. And gavie God the credit that He can arrange events that would leave you with good friends, good times and good memories.


Saturday, October 02, 2004

ideally speaking...

* i found this at friendster and i thought for fun why not? the context: we are talking about my ideal guy...

1. Long hair or Short hair?
kahit ano bast hindi ‘kulot’ ayoko sa kulot!

2. May Gel or wala?
wala.

3. Chinito, Mestizo or Moreno?
tisoy.

4. Sunglass or Reading glass?
no glasses.

5. Eyes, Nose or Lips?
nose.

6. Nice teeth or nice eyes?
teeth.

7. Gud boy/gurl look o BADboy/gurl?
good boy.

8. Gwapo, Cute or Maappeal?
gwapo (sino bang ayaw?)

9. Thin or Fat?
thin.

10. With or w/o Muscle?
without.

11. Tall or Average?
average.

12. Balbon or tama lang?
never entertained the thought of hairs.

13. Mabango or amoy lalake/babae?
what? Syempre mabango.

14. Fashionable or Casual?
casual.

15. T-shirt or Polo?
polo.

16. Loose shirt or a Body fit?
loose.

17. With or w/o Cap?
with out

18. With or w/o Piercing?
with out

19. Elephant pants or a not so loose pants?
what?

20. Punk, Hiphop or Rocker?
punk, pero please ayoko ng pormang punk! Lifestyle lang.

21. Elegant, Down-to-earth, Rich or Middle
I don’t care.

22. Pants or Shorts?
pants

23. Boxer or Brief?
brief

24. Leather or Casual shoes?
casual

25. With or w/o wheels?
di ko pa naisip.

26. Honest or Shy?
honest.

28. Moody or Hindi?
hindi.

29. Smoker or non-smoker?
non smoker, may girl ba na gusto smoker?

30. Drinker or non-drinker?
NONE OF THE ABOVE

31. Gago na seloso or tahimik na walang
pakialam?
NONE OF THE ABOVE

32. Mapagmura or Pintasero?
NONE OF THE ABOVE

33. Matakaw or Tama lang?
matakaw!

34. Virgin pa or Hindi na?
VIRGIN

35. Wild or Hindi?
di ko na naman naisip …

36. Understanding or Patient?
diba logically parallel yun?

37. Musician or Athlete?
musician.

38. Good singer or good Dancer?
singer. Turn off ang lalaking marunong sumayaw!

39. Popular or a Simple gurl?
Popular guy

40. Player or a Joker?
Joker

41. Lots of exs or less?
NO EX

42. Party boy or School boy/gurl?
SCHOOL BOY

43. Traditional or go-with-the-flow?
traditional

44. Anung ayaw mo sa lalake/babae?
mayabang. self righteous. shrewd

45. Anung ayaw mo sa isang lalake/gurl kapag
kasama mo?
di ako sumasama kung alam kong may potential na may gawin siyang ayaw ko J

46. Anung ayaw mo sa lalake/gurl pag kausap
mo sa telepono?
syempre yung hindi nag sasalita, hello! Phone yun! (bakit ba ako pumpatol sa survey!)

47. Anung ayaw mong porma ng lalakegurl?
hip hop!


an open letter for glenda verdadero…

I was touched when one of my student’s gave me a letter for my birthday. And obviously her name is Glenda Verdadero. I am not making this post because she is special to me, actually it is the opposite, we are not that close. So when I received the letter I was surprised but never the less I decided to answer the letter through my website so that the rest of the world would be a witness to the happiness she had given me.
Glenda, like what she said is simple, quiet and not that ‘bibo’ in my class and what really struck me is that she regrets the fact that she is not that ‘bibo'in my classes, Gleng, one thing that everybody should remember: all of us are fearfully and wonderfully made . In fact you inspired me to create this post. You triggered my brain to announce to everybody what I truly feel about everything that you have presented in that letter. And true you are not ‘bibo’ in my classes because like the rest of my students you are ‘great’ . You in fact motivated me to write this post specially dedicated for students like you-
For my students who believed that they are 'not special’ I strongly disagree! God made you special. You are designed and conceived by the best artist.
For my students who think that they are just ‘average’ again I battle that thought with all my might, God NEVER made you AVERAGE! When God looks at you He sees an individual that is capable of EVERYTHING. Just like Peter. Peter was a fisherman. But God never saw him as a fisherman, God saw Peter as the ‘fisher of man’.
For my students who believes that they ONLY need to finish college for the diploma. That is a crap that needs to trashed. I can give you a diploma, how many it is that you need? You pay good money, you get what is rightfully yours. And that is knowledge, knowledge and more knowledge.
For my students who think that there are other students better than them. Lies. God had given you so much that to even begin comparing yourselves to others is irrational! Do not even begin to compare yourselves with people you don’t have anything in common with. Or just to make life less complex DO NOT COMPARE yourselves with others.
For my students who thinks that they are not good enough to rub elbows with me…mukha nyo!
Gleng, your letter really touched my heart and I am honored to receive it. In fact I let my father and mother read it, and I told them that if they are asking for a confirmation if they have raised a good and god fearing daughter perhaps your letter would give them an answer.
I would forever treasure it, show it to my soon to be family and use it to lift my mood whenever I feel bad about myself. Placebo.
Thank you Gleng.
And just like any blessings that I have received all the Glory back to God, for He had given me the faith, courage and the ability to see through all the trials.


the beauty that was called marriage...

everybody is getting married.
excluding ME.
last Friday I was really surprised that two of my good friends picked me up after our church service. And of course it was a night of laughter, updates and surprises that…is…surprising, in all levels huh!
It all started with the news of dward having a very good ‘raket’. Good because he likes what he’s doing (gusto naman niya kahit ano na may kinalaman sa theatre) and he is being paid well.
after dinner, in front of my really delicious java kula, both of them announced that they are both engage to their gf’s and bf’s.
dotch is getting married on June while dward plans to propose this coming November…in fact he wants us to accompany him in buying the perfect ‘get down on your knees and ask’ ring.
Hayyy…then again the coming of age creeps in; I look at the matter in two perspective-
first, I am happy that the people I love are all settling down with the one’s they love. I mean a lot of people whom I know is struggling and battling the quest for the ‘perfect one’, I feel so blessed that people who are close to me need not to do that.
searching for some one ‘you’ think is perfect for you is really hard. personally, i don’t like the idea of exploring the ‘dating jungle’, which brings me to my second insight.
do you think that I would grow old to be a ‘spinster’? As in, my friend’s sons and daughters would call me ‘great old aunt jeanie’. Where in half of my days then would involve crochet and baking cookies (raisins or oatmeal) and when ever my friends would go out of town they would leave their sons and daughters with me.
i am old and while my friends are starting to build their respective families I watch in awe. truth, i am happy that this happened now that i am single, because truly i feel happy for them. Genuine. True. Pure.
though i feel alarmed that most of my friends are settling down, i hold on to
God’s promises. and though i falter, getting back on my knees is easy. i just
came into a realization that ‘marriage’ is something that is-
Majestic. Over Whelming. Life Turning. Holy. Delicate.
i admire my friends for the conviction and motives that they have upon making
this decision.
and for this reason i am truly looking forward in having my own wedding. in god's time, way and His sole GO signal.