Masthermind

Realizations at 25

2014-02-28T07:05:00.001-08:00

They say life is a long journey where you meet a lot of people along the way. When I say a lot, it's really a lot. But when that happens, do you really get to know those "a lot" really well? Only few of those people get a chance to be part of your long journey. So, treasure them.

But can someone get tired of those lot? I hope not. We just extend our networks and still keep the old ones. It's the time where you want to explore more, get out of your circle and gain more friendship. That's what I would surely do. Extend my presence in the lives of others. That's why I chose my field in the first place, right?

I think I have lost focused in that previous goal lately, I became stranded to just being alone, where I still enjoy though, seems funny huh? But time is passing too fast, and come this year, I just woke up that I am 25 already. And now I am rushing things to cope up with reality; I enrolled to school to gain a master's degree and keep my workplace. I want to know new people again, gather inspiration and beat life's experiences. I might been held in the cage for quite a few years now and swam in that little space wherein there is a bigger world outside.

So, hello again WORLD! I will conquer you again with lots of pictures to shoot and stories to tell.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

The Girl I See

2014-02-28T07:04:00.001-08:00

I'm a teacher and I love this job. I like to surf the net and read, I like chocolate ice cream and feel-good movies. These are not the things I have just discovered, though some of them were hidden for me for a time.

I've stopped being surprised by myself in the mirror. I know that face, the color of those eyes and the fall of hairs. Now my reflection shows someone I recognize, even if I'm still learning who she is.

There are many things I don't know, but quite a few I do. I know you can't be lost if you know where you are. I know that life is full of precious and fragile things, and not all of them are pretty. I know that the sun follows the moon and makes days, one after another. Time passes. The world turns, and we turn with it, and though we can never go back to the beginning, sometimes, we can start again.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Silver Year

2014-02-28T07:02:00.001-08:00

Celebrating 25 years of loving and goodness. Thank You, Lord for letting me enjoy the world this long. Hope to see more of it soon.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Forever Young...

2014-02-28T07:01:00.003-08:00

They don't deserve to die at a very young age. They haven't experienced what life is.

Is there a proper time to die? So, death should only be applicable to oldies? Why then is God taking away lives of babies and kids? Did He made a mistake of putting them on earth or did He changed His plans? I think it is not for us people to say "They don't deserve to die, yet." It's God who commanded it, why battle against His decisions?

I think we live not because we have to experience life. We are here because our existence have purpose. Oh, yes, we are so familiar with this. But do we really care about our purpose? Once we go on with our lives, we are misguided by our belief that we are here to enjoy. Sometimes death of others is the only way to shaken us. Sometimes I think other' s purpose is to die just to help others know their own purpose. Isn't it great to know that God is using you for the sake of some people. Your death brings life to a dying soul. Well, you are not Christ who brought millions of souls to life. Yet, you can be like Him.Through your death you made a person realized that they are moving away from their purpose.

It's not the time nor the experience, it's fulfilling what you are intended to do on this world. It's like living for others to also live. It may be death, illness, accident, or just simple favors. What matter is you are seeking your purpose and where it leads you doesn't matter at all. Our lives are interrelated, right?

While we enjoy life, let's also give space for the fulfillment of why we are here.

Monday, December 19, 2011

Revisiting the Timeline

2014-02-28T07:00:00.000-08:00

Today, I'll show some entries in my journal. Maybe readers can help me analyze what had happened to my life starting from the year I've been part of the academe.

March 25, 2009 (Not yet in the academe, no work)
Auntie Zeny asked me to compose a valedictory speech for a prep student. I don't think it's easy because it will be addressed in front of so many people. So, I rummaged to our previous speeches. I can still remember some of the words especially my elementary graduation speech. I remember singing a part of it in front of the crown and say "tsk.. tsk.. tsk.." for the sound of the lizard part. I also requested the batch to participate in my speech. But when I will be asked to do it again, I will surely do it with confidence and more energetic.

The line in which I am still familiar in my speech is the,
Someday when I am older, Whatever I may become, Wherever fate may bring me
I thought I was delivering that line as if coming from my heart. I was so hopeful for my future that time. I so believe that once I am done studying, I can help my parents. I can live a better life and I can make my family's dreams come true. But as time went by, it started to fall apart, I began to face reality. I become part of the real world. Even if I am well aware that I can do it but if circumstances won't allow, it will not work. I began to fade out from this world with no imprints left behind. Within the last two years, I have laughed less. My future became blurred. When all my classmates started seeing their future, mine started to turn white, it blinds me. I stopped, I don't know where to go, where are the opened doors. I kept asking God my next goal, but still I don't hold the answer.

Most people's goals was to earn money. Money that can help improve their lives, to replace their happiness they had sacrificed along the way to gain it, and to create the dummies of themselves and the people whom they missed. Isn't it feels good already that we live in our own way, feel the emotions of human nature and not worry? I may be called a loser for this, very contemporary and conservative. Well, it's just me being tired of the pre-determined life where everything must be standard. I am a non-conformist, I want to live the life I want. I hope that someday is not today for I am still a nobody right now. I pray that my way be clear, that my life heads the jumpstart and that I may reached my destination before my time runs out.

------
July 3, 2010
If I can help it, I seldom lie. And if I lie, it's barely noticeable. I believe in stories of people. Everybody has one.
It's been more than a year since my last entry. I now have a job, something I haven't expected I will be doing, that is being a teacher. I had survived a year doing it and now still counting for more semesters to come. I had been to new relationships, met new people and experience rare things. For being part of that campus is such a good year to be treasured. I dealt with older people, childish and mature. But I can't say that I had met people from all walks of life. I wasn't put in so much pressure which I am missing from college days. It's a moderate job. Yes, there were challenges but it wasn't much. I think I used to call myself workaholic during college.

My year in Entienza had showed me that life is not what I had thought, that we are here to serve the Lord, be somebody and be felt by people around us. There are people who live seeing the reality, always saying what he's doing is the practical way. There are people who find solutions to their problem but still continue to commit the same problem. It's a never-ending process of ups and downs. There are people who don't care what others may feel. But of course, good-hearted people still exist.

I don't know what people had seen in me. I had been a shock-absorber. I wasn't that type, pretty sure about that. But how come they see me as one? What had grown in me? I know I am still young and not ready to face the seriousness of life. I only want to be an observer and not the one of the actors. As the saying goes,
I am old enough to know but too young to care.

------
November 28, 2010
It seems nothing had changed in my life except that I had gained so much weight. Did I become happier? I had gained new company. But can I ever be with them for long? Can we call our relationships friendship already or are we just like this because we only have each other in Tabugon? We live our separate lives when we are not in school. But when we are together, we laugh a lot and enjoy the days that gone by. We already shared a semester together but I still think that they are still strangers to me, no emotional attachment, no background checkups, just accepting them based on what we see and feel. We just enjoy, nothing deep. Maybe it's what we call professionalism. Or maybe, I just had been so passive.

To summarize, my life has gone to hoops and loops but I am proud that I haven't fell with a loud bang. I might have slipped but I am holding on to what I believe that good things are coming.

-----
October 23, 2011
A friend has a birthday today. Seeing him in FB, I can say that he had achieved much of his dreams. He's part of a good bank, he can be with his family whenever he want, he still plays the piano, and still the kind-hearted person I had known way back. He's still the epitome of the guy whom I want to spend my life with. Can I really find someone like him?

Though God had shown me some hint on my future partner, I am not convinced that he is the one for me. There is so much going on now and sometimes I want to quit and go to a different place and start again. Maybe next year, my life will restart. I don't know if I am going to keep things and the people that I gained. I will surely meet new ones and from those I hope I can find someone who is willing to help me organize my life again and uplift me the better person in me.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

On Being a Teacher

2014-02-28T06:58:00.005-08:00

What do you want to be when you grow up?

People had asked me that many times when I was small. But I haven't any clue on what I wanted to be. So, to just answer it, I'll say "I want to be an accountant". And I have lived being good with numbers.

Then came college entrance test. I still don't know what course to take. I took the advice of my Mom's friend that since I have a growing curiosity over electronic things, maybe I should take ECE. So, I checked the ECE course in UP as my first choice and Statistics as my second choice. Then came the result, I passed the ECE course but I was in the waiting list. I don't want to wait anymore for the new ECE students vacate their slots so I enrolled in the BS Statistics Program. And thank God I did that because ECE course in UP has a high mortality rate on which I am unaware at that time. Maybe by this time, I am still in my college years, taking a different course.

I graduated as a statistician and it took me a year to decide on what job to take. I applied for a programmer and a bank statistician. I think I got cold-feet during the last days of my stay in Manila and decided to return to the province and wait for new companies to reply to my job applications. Many companies had called but I thought much on my future if I am going to stay in the city. With the kind of lifestyle that awaits me there and the not-so-enough salary to sustain my cravings, I decided to stay in the province and applied for a job in the Department of Education and later to the Camarines Norte State College. I stayed for a month in the DepEd and transferred to CNSC without thinking much of the future. I just want to experience having a job and maybe just having a low-profile for a while (hehehe).

It never occurred to me that I will be a teacher someday. I can only do tutorial classes and I thought that was enough to try this new life. So, I plunged myself in the academe without any clue of what lies in there. Luckily, the faculty was welcoming. But I had a hard time with the students. I was not accustomed to average to not so genius students. Most of my tutorial classes were composed of the top-ranking students though there were also times that I handled the lowest-ranking students to get back on tracks in their class. I can say that I had adapted to it. I managed to lower my level of expectations but it took me a long time. It was an achievement and I renewed for another semester and this was followed by more semesters. I can say that I had enjoyed what I did. Teaching had become a medium to accomplish my goal which is, to be existent in other people's life.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

A Generous Gift

2014-02-28T06:56:00.001-08:00

I asked God for a travel vacation, He gave me a tour abroad but I declined to pursue it; He then gave me short trips and I felt the warmth of the family I haven't been for so long.. It feels good to be reunited with the people you grew up with!

Thank God for showing me how passionate a family can be.

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Plain Plans

2014-02-28T06:55:00.004-08:00

I guess my life is getting boring at some point. I was bum for three days and those idle times, I used to think, think and set plans.

During this year, I want to:
1. Engage in lawn tennis
2. Do running again even during weekends only and if possible some mornings before I go to work. If not, biking will be better.
3. Refresh the Nihonggo.
4. Update my sites, do some reviews and tutorials.
5. Play the guitar with precision
6. Refresh statistics subjects in preparation for studies.
7. Inquire about the Actuarial Society of the Philippines

Looks like I am back to my old self! Fingers crossed.

I love ye because ye make me love music even more!

Monday, May 9, 2011

You've Got Served

2014-02-28T06:54:00.002-08:00

Krrng! Krrng! Krrng!

Kids rush to their parents and beg for some coins. Outside, they wait for the vehicle to stop at their spot. The sound of bells disappear in the air. Manong ice cream or Mamang Sorbetero , as the vendor is called, served the craving little ones with a scoop of colorful flavored ice cream. This is the common scenario in the streets especially during summer. With the ringing of the bells, the kids know for sure what is approaching. They want to have that cold thing with a taste of mango, strawberry, melon, ube, langka, cheese, peanut, chocolate or just plain vanilla. Sometimes, not only the kids crowd Manong ice cream, even teens and adults want to have a taste of ice cream in a cone, in a sugarcone or in a cup. It usually sells at a price range of three to ten pesos depending on the size of the cone or cup to where it is placed. Most kids prefer the scoop to be in cone while the adults want it in cup. Kids didn't care if the ice cream is melting and flowing at the side of the cone, they want it that way so they can lick it back to the top. They don't mind the sweet thing running on their fingers, they can also lick their fingers once they are done with the cone; not minding that they had used their hands playing in the streets. It's the essence of childhood, enjoying with no worries of what you are doing. As for the teens and adults, they want it in different holder because eating it in a cone is messy, they don't want to look yucky in front of others. Wherever it is placed, enjoyment is found in its taste. The coldness it offers during the hot weather plus the fruit flavored taste it brings, one feels like they had themselves served with something from heaven.

Unconsciously, ice cream is being a status symbol, may it be dirty ice cream or the ice cream brought in supermarkets. The feeling it brings is not only for the taste buds but also for the psychological bearing of the person eating it. Having an ice cream makes one believe that he is affording something which is not a basic need thus considered as a luxury. It is rare for a common individual to have a daily consumption of that cold thing. Even the name it is called also determine the status of the person buying it. When the low-income ones are buying it, they simply call it as ice cream; but when the average persons are buying it, they call it dirty ice cream. For the middle class, the thing tagged as ice cream is the one bought in gallons from the supermarket. Whatever their status in life, it cannot be denied that they are patronizing Manong ice cream.

A Call of Duty

2014-02-28T06:53:00.003-08:00

I was assigned to handle a class on Society and Culture with Family Planning and HIV, which is beyond my forte. Social sciences did not interest me much when I am in college so as far as possible I stayed away from it. But then, due to call of duty, I cannot avoid the subject.

The topic on family planning methods constitute the last part of the course, so as we ended the semester, we ended with an open discussion on sex and on contraceptions. The class was excited and everyone has their curious questions. I am no authority to this kind of topic. With the help of the book and some lessons learned from friends, I signaled them to start and promised to do my best to answer the questions in a most decent way. The only guy in the class unfortunately belongs to the other kind, so most of the guy stuff was not fully answered.

Why are condoms flavored? Why is it colored? Do they have sizes? Why are condom sticky?
What is PMS?
How is oral sex done? (urgh, tough one)
Why is it that women urinate during sex? (it's not urine guys)
Can we have sex during a menstrual period?
Anal sex is really weird, how can they go in there?
Is it really healthy to masturbate every morning? Why do guys have boner in the morning?

And the weird question popped up, "What if the condom was left inside the woman's, can it be removed?" (of course it can, you can use the finger to remove it, hahaha)

Good thing is, I was able to endure the two-hour discussion on this topic, and they were satisfied with the learnings they gained. But I can't say that I will want to handle this subject again.

Monday, May 9, 2011

Learning About Afghanistan

2014-02-28T06:52:00.002-08:00

Another all-TV day today. I was watching the Don't Tell My Mother I Have Been to Afghanistan, my favorite. Thanks to its host, Diego Bunuel, who inspired me that it's better to be fluent in more than one language. I am learning Nihonggo again. Then, maybe be inspired to learn Spanish later.

As I was watching, I was shocked to know that women lead the police force in Afghanistan. It's just unusual to see policewomen who wear that baggy clothes, I think it's called burka, with a face veil. How can they run and chase criminals with all those clothes? As they were interviewed, they said that they are very important to the police force especially during killings and bombings with women as victims. The guys can't touch their corpses and can't even take pictures of them.

Another thing, women can't show their faces on TV. But as they were interviewed, they were not wearing their veils to hide their faces. I am also thinking if there are women doctors in that place; with all those killings and crimes, there should be.

I had also seen a golf course which is not green but more of dust and earth. I think it's just bringing golf in there for the experience of its people even though the place is not suitable.

Monday, May 9, 2011

On Mother's Day

2014-02-28T06:50:00.003-08:00

Greet your Moms a Happy Mother's Day and treasure them as long as they live. Because you will surely miss them when they are gone, like what I am feeling right now.

TO all the great Moms out there, thank you always for bringing a world of smiling people!

Saturday, May 7, 2011

What Lies Ahead?

2014-02-28T06:49:00.004-08:00

You can choose your future,
The concept of your life
I'm doing well, I'm a fine person
Trust yourself, look into the mirror

With the light glimmering around you as you smile
There could be sad memories that make you cry
Don't forget that you have a shoulder to lean on in this world

I've the whole world in my heart
Let's keep running
For our tomorrow, for our future
To become a shining light under the sun

You don't have to fear anything except fear itself
There could be sad memories that make you cry
I'm the one who'll start and end it

Let there be light and become a shining star
The sun is welcoming me with rays of light
I just need one umbrella and that'll be fine

Don't hide your tears from me
You can lean on my shoulder and cry out loud
Looking at the crimson red sun setting in the sky
It's a spectacle that the heavens have given me

There's no end
A bright future lies ahead of you
The sun bathes me with its warm light under the blue sky
I just need one umbrella and that'll be fine
To become a shining light under the sun

The sun is welcoming me with rays of light
I just need one umbrella and that'll be fine
I'm wonder girl, yeah!

(Lately, I have been receiving good news which requires tough decisions on my part. It all came as surprises during the time I rather be in confinement. Life had provided me with the fast tracks before but instead I chose the slow down, school zone. And now it feels like there's a sharp curve ahead and I am approaching it too fast, I need to think quick so as not to crash. If only I could just "Take take take it all, take take take it all"!

To Ate Age who prayed for the empowered woman in me and who believed that I am a work in progress, I hope I still am.)

Friday, May 6, 2011

Sad Story

2014-02-28T06:48:00.000-08:00

It was Valentine's Day. There's a marching band playing along, vendor's selling flowers, the students are being noisy and I was at my elementary school compound, in my Grade 3 room. I was having a lesson in circulatory system, showing a dissected heart of an animal. I was assisted by Mam Kats and Mam Aiz. The latter was criticizing the lesson as based on the syllabus. Then my male co-teacher entered the room and the students started teasing me to him while he obviously play along. He gave me the single light pink flower that he was holding and the class got excited!
The marching band still plays at the corridor while I sat on the chair but the class is already gone. I was feeling happy that time, I wanted to share this day with my Mom. I hurriedly went to her classroom and find QD sitting on her table. I asked where Mama is. There was a pause before he made a slow reply of "She haven't arrived, yet". Thinking she could have been late, I let some minutes passed and checked again her room. QD is still there, in the same position as I had found him earlier. I asked him once more and had the same response. I got worried, I even asked her co-teachers who were conversing near the gate and they all agreed that maybe she spent the night with her Madi, preparing something. I dashed to my room and found Sir Daniel and Mam Venus seated near a table. I told them that Mama is still out somewhere and I don't where it is. I picked up my phone and found it drained. I removed the SIM card and Sir Daniel lend me his phone so I can insert my SIM. I checked my balanced if I have enough load to call; I dialed Mama's number and the operator was in the end of the line, informing me that the number is no longer in use.

Then, everything has become clear in my mind, I realized the reality that my mother is long been gone and the people around me were all aware of this tragic truth but nobody dared to mention it. I found myself nervous and tears were slowly dripping from my eyes even when I woke up from this bad dream..

Status: Idle

2014-02-28T06:45:00.003-08:00

I'm in this fast-moving world. Most people around me had done their leap in life. I had goaled that at this stage and time, I should be geared towards earning my Master's degree. I also dreamed of establishing a business that will help and educate the needy. Not necessarily a charity, but in one way or another, helping them to appreciate the value of education even if they are out of school. I also wanted to set-up a dormitory in our place, guided by the UP kind of dorms; with recreational activities, group living and not just a place to stay.

But where am I now? Where had my dreams led me? I haven't been near the first steps of the ladder. The last two years had been self-centered and aimed towards the acquisition of the things that I wanted, neglecting the value of having that kind of goals. Now that I had tried this way of life and I am disappointed with the results, I will go back to the offensive side and resurrect the better me. The person who believes that through God, I can conquer all. To see the world not through the eyes but through the heart. To laugh again not only with the lips but with the soul. To spread the universal love through living. I miss that kind of person.

"Moving in millions, surviving as one" - that quotation was very peculiar to see at the back "fender" of a tricycle here in our town. Such powerful words. I totally agree, it may not be all about me in this world, but it all takes myself to reach every dream that I have. No one bothers to set goals for me, it's me who will mold the life I want.

Another thing, last week, out of nowhere, I was asked if I am happy. Definitely, I should be happy. I have the kind of work that I want, the people at my workplace are treasures and yet I can't say that I am truly happy. Maybe because I lack something, I think my dream of serving the people had been scraped from me. That's why, what I am doing had been all for myself and not for the benefits of others. As I always said, I am a servant.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Cookish Dish

2014-02-28T06:44:00.000-08:00

As I had always been fascinated by cooking, I had been attracted to watch and learn the art of it. I had mentioned in my old post that one of my dream job is to be a chef/baker. Though I am not really a foodie, I have this drive to learn this industry. I got hooked on TV series such as Iron Chef America, Everyday Italian, Cooking with Bobby Flay, Rachel Ray, Martha Stewart, Contessa Garden, Sweet Confections and now Masterchef. I even watched Sweet Relationship and Coffee Prince to get on track on running a business with it.

Masterchef is a show wherein the participants/contestants are amateur cooks on which cooking is just a hobby, a passion or an everyday requirement for them. They learn dishes through experimenting, a cookbook or through other people's cooking. At every episode comes a challenge: given one major ingredient, each contestant must think of a dish that will make that ingredient the hero. They are given limited time to pick-up the other ingredients and cook their dish. There's lots of freedom to choose from a variety of dishes, from dessert to viands as long as it will impress the judges.

It had taught me that cooking does not require cookbooks, it requires creativity, resourcefulness, passion, and uniqueness. As long as you know the technical stuffs, you're good. It all about mixing the right ingredients and cooking it perfectly on fire. With one ingredient at hand, I don't know how the contestants manage to think quickly of a unique dish that will make the judges say 'bravo'.

My experience in cooking is in baking, desserts, smoothies, and pastries. I remembered that I bagged the First Place in a cooking competition back on my elementary days. The challenge is to make a nutritious and cheap dish using the Lucky Me pancit canton. I made palabok with it. I also won the First Place in cooking fried egg.

I am looking forward to the start of Junior Masterchef Australia. The contestants will be between ages 8 and 12. I will surely be amazed by those kids who were practicing the cooking skills at an early age. And it's not ordinary cooking take note.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Missing the Other Side of Life

2014-02-28T06:40:00.001-08:00

Ahoy!
It's been a month since some bad ass snatched my bag, taking most of my treasured stuffs.

It's been impossible for me to take pictures of the rare instances of life with my old N6230. I can't download files, stream videos and read ebooks with that phone. Adding to this incapacity, my laptop got infected with a virus that has no name, can't ask Mr. Google for solution. It made a password in my user account that doesn't exist before. Moreover, my internet hours had been downed to 1-2 hours a week! Then, my PSP is still not giving me the proper audio sounds and I can't play games with it though I already upgraded the firmware to 5.03 M33.

But the best part is, I am adapting and getting used to it. Not that I am hoping that this continues for months.

I still miss the techy life anyway.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Another Year at My.Opera

2014-02-28T06:39:00.001-08:00

It's already been two years since I had become part of the Opera community. My first glimpse of this site was credited to the Opera Mini synchronization. Then I discovered the forums on which I eagerly participated; helping people to troubleshoot their Minis and tweak their phones, answering trivias that make my mind crazy, giving opinions on current issues and cultures, and even posting the weather at my place on a daily basis.

I was first welcomed in the Intellectual forum. From there, I met Mr. Lizardi. I was really thankful to his words of encouragement when I was at lost with my goals. Then, I came along MD and I started to get acquainted with Indian nationalities. At first, he was reluctant on accepting friend requests; I haven't known that guys can also be picky. But I was able to make it on his list (wink MD, hehe). He educated me with the Indian traditions and religions and showed me their way of life. It was also due to him that I got hooked in exploring Linux and open-source softwares and designing this blog. While I was paving my way to the Linux system, I was grateful for Slackwrdave who gave me a helping hand during the installation. Rahul, thanks for the updates on your studies and travels. To princess of dawn for sharing the same habit of eating street food; to Australian, for our shared experience in learning the complicated style of Nihonggo; to Harpreet who startled me with his calling me "dear" (am not used to guys who call girls dear); to Mr. Larry for providing me the reviews on the different Linux OS as well as inspiring my life with his blog. And for all those people who once flooded my inbox and chatbox with hi and hello, for those who had shared with me their hobbies, their meaningful photos, their everyday experiences and their little part of their heart and mind, THANK YOU for being part of my two-year existence in this community! I feel no regrets belonging here because of the warmth I felt from you, guys. You made me coming here again and again, though the new layout is a pain on the neck, I don't know where things are).
--> sameer, Jan de Smit, Greenwitch, Kirill, Taylyr, Jasper, Ryan, dhampir and Lhalaine, CHEERS! Let's Rock 2011.

Saturday, January 1, 2011

The Movies That Changed My Life

2014-02-28T06:37:00.001-08:00

Here I am again, watching so much TV. As I was into National Geographic Channel, there was this Jose Javier-Reyes ad on Live Curious. He posted the question, "What movie had changed your life?". He said, his was the movie "Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang" by Lino Brocka. I had a classmate in PI100 who said that the reason she was taking Film Arts was due to Nora Aunor's "Himala". I haven't watched those two movies and I wonder what's in those that made them decide to make films.

So, in response to Direk Reyes, the movies that inspired me are the Mona Lisa Smile, The Emperor's Club, and Good Will Hunting. I was inspired by the plot set on the academe. Thee films had given me the challenges I wanted in my life.

The Good Will Hunting talks about Will, a 20-year-old guy with behavioral problems but has a potential to be a great mathematician. During the course of his therapy, Robin Williams asked him "What do you want to do? What is it that you like with your life?". That same questions had also struck me years ago. It had taken me a year to decide on what to do. The films challenged me to take a big leap of change from the ordinary person to being a professional educator. Like Will, I was a person who only want to go on living despite the roughness of it, I enjoyed being a student, the company of friends, I enjoyed life as it may come to me every morning. But I had asked myself, when I am fifty, do I want to be this same person?

Of course, that stage in my life said time's up, your maximum residency has expired. I have to be in another track. Everyone in my batch is chasing their dreams, living their goals while I was stuck to the same kind of lifestyle. The person I was in college had been the product of the pushing me to the edge and the learning I had acquired through difficulties and achievements, but the person I had become after college is way too different to that. I stayed so much in my comfort zone after that. How eager I was to go back to those days when my problems revolve around problem sets and machine problems, dorm activities and how to be attentive during lectures and all those sleepless nights before exams. I am missing the STRESS! (how sadistic)

Then, The Emperor's Club had inspired me to become a teacher. To educate, change the lives of many, be the guidance of young minds. A History teacher can give a significant something to students, so how about a Math teacher? How can Math teaching touches the life of others? I want to see people grow, get directions in their lives through that little something in me, and I want to be remembered as their teacher who taught them how to do fractions and conversions.

The Mona Lisa Smile had given me the insights on how to be a teacher. The ups, downs and curvatures of teaching profession. The interactions with students and the ways to win their trust in you.

I wouldn't say that who I am now is the result of these movies but rather I can say that these movies had shown me a greater path that I haven't known existed. These movies had given me another train to take me to the next pit stop and keep me chasing another dream.

Monday, December 27, 2010

Been Offline Lately

2014-02-28T06:36:00.000-08:00

I was out most of the time last months, why?
I am just busy with school. Here's where I have been:

Button Beach

Acquaintance at School

Cagsawa Ruins with my Advisory Class

At PHIVOLCS. Such a steep walk to get there. But the view is overlooking the city, so it's AWESOME!

At CWC, the wake boarding spot in Bicol

Alay-Lakad while Typhoon Pepeng strikes. The time I got to climb a dump truck. Whew!!

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Hidden Talent

2014-02-28T06:24:00.001-08:00

We had our tour last week and we checked-in on a dormitory to spend our night.

We decided to explore Naga City, so we came up with the idea to have some bar-hopping adventure. We ate our dinner at San Gabriel Grill and entered the Bistro to have some fun.

Before that, my roommate was worried with her laptop being stolen, so she asked the caretaker to lock our door as we go out for the night. The caretaker didn't give her the key and she missed the idea that we will be late for the evening and the possibility that the caretaker will also be off-duty by the time we will arrive. And that what happens. We came home at 2:30 am with no access to our designated room. Luckily, the next room was open and nobody was staying inside. So, we lay down our tired bodies there and prayed that the caretaker will be back by morning.

Unfortunately, our first itinerary for the next day is scheduled at 7:00 in the morning. The caretaker will report by 7:30 am and we have no option but to make way to open the door because our baggage and things were inside and we need to take a bath before we go out for the next trip. My roommate tried to pick the lock using hairpin with no success. I had watched from House,MD that they use credit cards to open locks. I asked my roommate for some spare cards and I made two attempts with no success. She picked a soft card for me to try again and voila, it opened! Haha. It's my first time to use card to open locks. My experience with picking locks is with using other keys, but since we don't have any other keys by that time, we tried other options and one thing worked. Yahoo.

One activity of our field trip is to visit the dairy farm. They showed us how to milk cows and I volunteered to try it. I was worried that the mother cow will be hurt by pinching her nipples as I try to extract milk from her. As I was pulling it out, no milk comes out, not even a drop. I tried again and huhuhu, I can't make it. Then at my third attempt, instead of milk to pour, the cow urinated and the urine flowed down near my thighs. My students said that they will never forget that kind of experience, instead of milk, the cow gave me urine! That was the first time that I ever milk a cow and my first time was not good enough. What a weird field trip.

By the way, I also discovered today that papercut is true. I just have one and it ached. The cut was due to a bond paper.

To Have It All

2014-02-28T06:22:00.006-08:00

Zhayra Khan was able to inspire me with this passage. He is the youngest of the four children and the only boy in his family. I am sure that he is a Bollywood actor but I can't find an autobiography or a single picture of him in the net. But based on what I had seen, I can tell that he is such a great guy with a gorgeous face.

I asked God for wisdom... And God gave me problems to solve. I asked Him for prosperity... And God gave me brains and the strength to work. I asked for courage... And God gave me danger to overcome. I asked for love... And God gave me troubled people to help. I asked for favors... And God gave me opportunities. I received nothing I wanted. I received everything I needed. My Prayer has been answered.

It proved to me that a positive outlook in life can have a difference. We all have it from the start, we only need to use it.

Monday, August 31, 2009

Streetdance

2014-02-28T06:22:00.000-08:00

I was watching Step Up 2: The Streets today and I got caught refreshing the days when I was learning streetdancing. I attended classes to teach my body to wave, to control it to move like fluids and be stiff at times.
Those were days when Step Up 1 was screening. I enrolled to the class having a different notion of streetdancing. I thought it was like the dances I see during parades and festivals. Bah, I was late to realize that the movements are way too hard, more to it, the stunts. I can't cancel it because it was already past the registration and I can't drop it because I had already dropped the body-building class before I landed there. No more chances, so I push it through.

To have the feel and inspiration, I watched Stomp the Yard, Bring It On, Take the Lead and Honey. Thank God, I earned so much from it, a good grade and the ability to dance in cool moves. My friend suggested that I better advance to the next stage, I should have listened to her.

Saturday, August 29, 2009

A World Within Our World

2014-02-28T06:18:00.001-08:00

I had my weekends watching TV. Got to have a good Saturday night films shown on HBO and Star Movies.

I was able to see Journey to the Center of the Earth and Horton Hears a Who. The two films are alike in plot on which they depict a world within a world. In the Journey, there is a world contained within the earth while on Horton, another world survives inside a dust speck. Is it really possible that a great new world is trapped beyond our lands and beyond to what our eyes can't see?

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Outside

2014-02-28T06:14:00.000-08:00

Outside, behind my window lies a vast world. It's nature and I like it.