Advent

This is the time of Advent, a time of waiting for God's coming.
When you look at the time line of the humanity, most of us are waiting for something in our life. We may seem complete, but we also may not. Examples of these are: people wait for a better job, life time partner, business partner, etc etc.
If you noticed, the point of a person's waiting is material. Why channel this material waiting to something eternal, intangible, omniscient?
Let me share one of the things I'm doing while waiting for HIS coming. Since Monday, I no longer drink Coke. I became addicted with coke recently. As in, I would die a day without a drop of coke. It's been fours day since I didn't drink it. I also stayed away from eating chocolates. If you know me personally, I am a certified SNICKERS addict. It's been four long days that I am not eating chocolates, too. Even if my coordinator in the English department gave me a bar of crunch, I didn't touch it. I want to savor that moment, that time that I can eat it. On HIS coming.
Let me leave you a challenge, what will you do to prepare for his coming?

-realizations in taglish-

Minsan lang ako nagsusulat in Taglish, right? Kasi naman I'm comfortable to speak in English kesa magPilipino. Netong mga nakaraang araw, may mga naisip ako na kung tawagin ko ay mga realizations. Gaya ng mga tao sa paligid ko na umaattend naman ng prayer meeting or religious gathering, andun pa rin yung distinct character ng pagiging makasarili, materialistic, sinungaling, hindi sincere, at kung anu-ano pa. In short, naipapabilang natin sila sa mga hypocrite na tao. Unahin na natin yung pagiging makasarili. Pag nag-organize ng party, iniisip lang natin yung kaya natin, di yung kaya ng iba. I'm not totally shunning the idea of having an outrageous party, but if you'd ask people to contribute, you should also think whether this person is capable to pay for it. Next, materialistic. Bumibili tayo ng mga bagay na di naman natin at kinakailangan or nagagamit, mas madaming taong sa mundo ang nagugutom, nilalamig, at walang masilungan. Yes, we're fortunate because we worked hard for the money we spent on those stuff, but I think that money has much worth than staying inside your closet or shoe box. Then, sinungaling. Despite the many confessions you've done you still go to the confession box and tell the priest the same sin...lying to my parents, lying to my friends, lying to my co-workers, lying to my boss. Kahit na kulayan mo pa ng puti, blue, red, or green...LYING pa din yan. Or sabihin mo na di ako nagsimba kasi tapos na yung misa sa parish namin, e anung oras ka ba pumunta dun?? Another reason, kasi po wala akong pamasahe papunta ng church. E di maglakad ka! Saka kala mo ba maniniwala pari sa iyo na wala ka pamasahe, e kung makapostura ka daig mo pa ang Christmas tree. Lastly, yung pagiging insincere ng mga tao. Magpapromise, di naman gawin. Buti pa di ka nalang nagsabi or nagparamdam ng magandang motibo para di ka ma-misinterpret di ba?

Bakit ganito ang nakikita ko ngayon sa mga tao sa paligid ko? Kasi parang wala naman akong nakikitang sincerity sa deeds nila,e. So kung nagbabasa ka nito at sa tinging mo, parang may part sa sinulat ko na parati mong ginagawa, aba-- mag-isip isip ka na baka iba na pala pagtingin sa iyo ng ibang tao.

hey, its been a while...

It's been a while since Ive visited this site, eh? :) I have been busy doing my job as a high school teacher that I wasn't able to get into my passion, writing.

These days, I'm preparing my students make their own campus broadsheet. I'm not the campus paper adviser, but I am a campus journalism teacher. My students should go on a field trip at Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, specifically at Zoobic Safari and Ocean Adventure. Our day started really really early like waking at 4:00 in the morning to get ready and meet my co-teachers and students. Well since I have an advisory class, I should check my students pink index card. This color was assigned to our section before the Pasyal Aral. Moreover, I should also check who did not arrive yet. The bus will leave at 5:15 in the morning, so I should make sure that a pack of 46 nuggets will be inside my bus. It's almost 5:15 am, but Tashja (my student) didn't arrive yet, so I decided to check my other students bags as SOP. I should make sure that they only brought pure water or juice, and not alcoholic beverages nor coke. Yes, they're not allowed to bring coke! They'll be very hyperactive if they drink lots of caffeine, that's bad for a growing child. A few minutes came by and Tashja finally arrived. She looked like she had just gotten off from bed and she confirmed it. :) Mrs. Jimenez gave a signal that we will depart from our school going to Subic around 5:17am. We had a swift drive since it's too early and traffic was not visible. What's more, our tour guide inside the bus, Kuya Al (half-German, half-Shepherd according to him!), was very friendly and very very informative. He told us about the Canlubang Via Aqueduct the longest bridge in the Philippines that connects Bulacan and Pampanga, the Arayat mountain, the Sierra Madre (which was very very fascinating for me), and the SCTEX (Subic, Clark, Tarlac Express Road). He told us that there were lots of mountains cut into halves during the construction. He also told us the clamor of the farmers that they have to walk a long way since they cannot cross the highway as it will lead them to accidents. What's more fascinating for me was the "bukang liwayway" as we approach Subic. The Sierra Madre mountain range coupled with fog-smog, was a heavenly sight! It was like I was in heaven riding on a coach bus with my fellow angels to meet our God. I felt so good seeing that sight. It was very very picturesque!
While we're on our way to SBMA, my girls wanted to watch a movie, so after long discussions, I finally gave in by letting them watch a horror-suspense movie. The title was Paranormal Activity. I actually didn't like it because it's a crazy movie. I hated horror flicks. Well, Ms. Lomuntad said it's fine since it was recommended by Steven Spielberg. Well, this SS guy liked making horror flick, so I was curious why. I saw the girl actor being dragged from her bed down stairs with a big bite on her back. (but of course, I pretended to be sleeping!haha)My co-teachers were shouting and our tour guide gasped! hehehe...Funny scene eh?
Anyway, Zoobic Safari was better than the first time we went there. During our ocular visit, it was raining hard that we were not able to appreciate the scenery. Yesterday, it was very beautiful. We were able to see the lions, ostrich, camel (that liked dried leaves and me!hehe), pot-bellied pigs, rodents, snakes, tigers (which is the star of the zoo), crocs, and the Aetas. We also went to Ocean Adventure where we listened to different lessons on the environment and saving-animal-planet. We watched the Avalon show (touched the snake and bat), sea lion show (touched Simba, too), and the dolphin show. It was really amazing how the trainers trained these creatures. I was thinking that I would like to be a trainer, too. I love what they were doing. However, I was just sad because I wonder how these animals felt. Are they really happy to be there?

Rainbow

My housemate was asking me to look up for a video in youtube, the title of the vid is "Somewhere over the rainbow." When I found it, I was fascinated by the pictures and colors that I am posting it here now. Please watch. :-)





This song was sang by Jason Castro, an American singer-songwriter who competed for the American Idol in 2007.

Guilty pleasures

Everyone has their own set of dreams. In my case, I would really like to acquire these things in the future.



Leica M3. I love to take pictures of any aspect and regard. I am confident to tell you that I am not good at taking pictures, but I always have the eye for good shots. Leica M3 is an old type of camera. As I know, it's been very rare to find one these days. I think, one costs a lot and I cannot find it either in the Philippines. I do not know where to find this camera in the future, but it's one of the things I wanted to have. I can imagine myself taking exemplary pictures because the lenses are so sharp that it can see through the beauty of a chaotic site.



Next is the Nikon DLSR D90. I wanted the type of its lenses it's secondary to Leica. I think I can use this camera for every day affair. While I'm going to use Leica on special occasions. I can see myself going to rainforests, taking pictures of the twilight zone and I can take shots in every angle I wanted. I can see myself trekking in Mt. Pulag or going to Sagada enjoying the sights while clicking my camera endlessly. I can see myself clicking and clicking all day in Bayawan City's boulevard, enjoying the sunset and shout of the kids behind.




Lastly, I wanted to have this macbook air. I think macbook has the friendliest program among all computers. What's more, it can never catch virus, thus my files can be very well protected. I wanted to have a macbook before the year ends!

The teacher in Me

When I decided to become a teacher, I had already graduated from college. I never wanted to be a teacher before because it doesn't pay me well. However, after seeing the life I lead on my first year, I began to love what I was doing. In 2003, I committed to be the adviser of Grade 3 Humility. I considered them my kids. I love them and I'd fought all evil to protect them. Now, my girls and boys were in their teens. I was so happy to see them growing up and learning the lessons that they will see soon. On my second year of teacher, I became the adviser of Grade 3 Humility batch 200-2005. From time to time, I would talk to them through YM, SMS, or when I visit Iloilo. I can see them and I think I had instilled so much in their lives. Why? Because they hadn't forgotten me. I believe that teaching affects eternity, you'll never know when your influence stops. I remembered Rolly telling me about the project I asked them to make in the class. He said he's so thankful because the project built his English vocabularies. There's also Roissy who told me about the yawning rule I told me. That when they yawn, they should cover their mouth. Until now, she's doing it. I believe that I had been a strict teacher when I was with them, but I think they had learned a lot. They've brought so much joy in my life that not even money can buy. Until now, I can still hear their voices, their shout, their heart. I remembered scolding someone because of misbehavior (which was pushing a classmate in the stairs or just simply pulling the girls' hair). Now, I am the class adviser of Year II- Hope. I wanted them to learn the Benedictine Value, Hope. I pray that my girls will grow up the way I want them to be. That they will be Christ-centered, fun-loving, respectful, trustworthy, Ora et Labora. Seeing the adolescents from an adult perspective is not easy. It is not easy to tame wild souls, but I just want to touch their lives by leading a good life. I want our year 2009-2010 to be full of new and exciting experiences. I have seen how they are living at home through their eyes. I can see the hunger for attention, love, respect, and trust. I hope that I can be there to guide them lead a fruitful and fullness of life. I hope that I can mold them into beautiful daughters of God inside out. The mother in me is getting off-hand. I think this is really where my passion is. And I think my life will lead into this direction. I just hope that if ever I have my own kids someday, I will be able to give them hope, love, respect, trust, guidance, etc. That they will be good citizens in the society.