Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Tagged: 20 things

I read this article in Wifely Steps and found it really interesting so I decided to write my answers too.

1. How often do you blog? At least once a week

2. Online Alias: niner

3. Have you ever stood up for someone you hardly knew? Yes, when I was too annoyed by the stranger. It has something to do with the incompatibility of my aura with that of the stranger.

4. What do you do most often when you are bored? Read the novels I like most like Rosamunde Pilcher’s “Coming Home”

5. When bathing, which do you wash first? My lower extremities

6. Have you ever been awake for 48 hours straight? Not yet! (I think i wont dare)

7. What color looks best on you? I dunno. I mean, I’m not sure, so I better not mention it.

8. What’s your favorite alcoholic drink? Cilento Redwine Von Rouge

9. Do you believe in heaven and hell as a real place that each of us will go to after death? Yes… it has something to do with how we do things as we savor the journey of life.

10. Do you find that you have more online friends than offline friends? Definitely not… I still have more person to person interactions than I do online.

11. What was your favorite subject in school? In high school, I liked English. I liked studying English Literature and World Literature. In college, General Chemistry (9 units ako ditto... kinukuha ko uli ngayon dahil sa no. of units requirements)

12. Are you a perfectionist? Yes I am when it’s about practicalities.

13. Do you spend more than you can afford? I hardly do. I don’t like to live in debt. I not showy, anyway.

14. Is it better to have loved and lost than never to have loved before? Yes it means you want happiness… better read St. Agustine and St. Thomas…*

15. Do you consider yourself creative? Yes. But not with everything.

16. Do you give yourself the credit you deserve? Of course not! That's too self-serving

17. Do you donate time or money to charities? Hhhhmmm… not in any particular event or time

18. Have you recently done something that you’ve criticized others for doing? Being a nitpicker… I’m getting too judgemental

19. What’s on your mind? Nothing beats telling the truth… Honesty is still the best policy.

20. Say one nice thing about the person who tagged you and the five people that you are going to tag. This question is irrelevant… anyways, I simply love Ms. Toni. I’m learning a lot while reading her blogs…

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Library-hopping: National library

13 September 2006, July's boarding house

I arrived at 7: 13a.m. and saw Sarah eating champorado. Liz, Karen, and yen were with July upstairs. Then came Hanzel, Love, and finally,Emy.

We boarded an ALPS Bus bound to Lawton. Thanks tosarah's friend who gave diection on howto reach the National Library! We arrived there at 10 am.

We logged or name in the receotion area and then fell in line to avail our respective library use ID worth 50 pesos. We proceeded to the Kiosk and search books, journals, news articles realted toour topics using the OPAC.

Zarah, July's friendship extended her help. We took our lunch at McDonald's. There we met Darrell and Angel (July's friends).

We were busier the whole afternoon scanning and skimming articles. Mind you, Sarah was so industriuos writing piles of related literatures and studies.

At five pm, we went to SM Manila and took our merienda-dinner. We commuted to Buendia thru LRT and met Love's ate before we finally rode a Bus bound to Batangas.

It was a tiring, yet, fun-filled experience! I am wondering when we will have another library-hopping.



http://www.gocomics.com/garfield/

Friday, September 15, 2006

Farewell tito Boy


Tito Boy, (left) during the 1999 Asia-Pacicif Defense Forum.


I did not personally met tito boy (Joselin Berdin Nazareno), but mama shared a lot of stories about him (they are first cousins); I only saw him on pictures, and on TV (when he was still AFP Chef).

Tita Diana informed us early yesterday (through text) that tito boy passed away around 4a.m. His remains is in the Evangelical Church in Camp Aguinaldo. The internment is on Tuesday.

I am sad for two reasons:
Fist, a family member died.

And second, I am also thinking of this event’s effect to my brother who looked up to tito boy.

But I am somehow glad coz tito boy will no longer suffer the pain caused by his liver cancer. This is God's grace... the extent of tito Boy's journey...


Farewell tito boy! May you rest in peace...

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Library-hopping: De La Salle Lipa

The AB Pasaway’s library-hopping officially started yesterday. Our first destination was De La Salle Lipa. In compliance with the rule imposed by all members of Network CALABARZON Educational Institutions Library (I’ll verify this name), which is a maximum of five (5) researchers from a school at a time, we decide to have two shifts: one group in the morning and the other half in the afternoon. I initiated a draw lots to determine the buddies of the day.

The call time and meeting place agreed upon by the group (July, Karen, Love, Yen and I) was 7a.m. at July’s boarding house. I woke up at 4:30 a.m. but still came 17 minutes late. I attribute this on my being turtle-like, which I can’t get rid of when still dozy. Love, on the other hand, told July thru text that she will be unable to come with us due to money constraints. Karen was an early bird so as July. “Nakakahiya nga sa dalawa, buti na lang at may mabuti silang kalooban..”

It was almost 7:30 when July to texted Yen and asked her whereabouts. There were no replies. We decided to leave around 8a.m. We rode an ordinary ALPS bus and exchanged a few chat on the way to La Salle, where I am the one who do most of the queries. (The three of us were all sleepy)


IMPRESSIONS OF A FIRST-TIMER IN DE LA SALLE LIPA

1. I was overwhelmed with the very accommodating security guards of Lipa. They extended their help courteously.

2. The librarian and other library staff were all helpful. They made us feel at ease during our stay.

3. I wasn’t expecting that the La Sallista were noisy (as in really noisy) in the library. Walang bell at pagsitsit ng library staff kung masyado nang maingay ang library users, unlike here in FAITH.

4. I was disappointed to find out that La Salle Lipa Tertiary Learning Center have a few new (published in 2000 onwards) books in Psychology. I was expecting the exact opposite.

5. I am still baffled on why they still use the traditional borrower’s card and not an electronic (with bar code) when they already have an OPAC. Isn’t it a double effort?


Anyways, I am still contented with our visit in De La Salle Lipa library since we (July and I, also Karen) found some related literature for our respective thesis proposals! ^_^

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Who are rich, who are poor?


Here is a story about the real essence of poverty. Sarah sent me this thru text.

One day a rich dad took his son on a trip. He wanted to show how poor some people can be. They spent time on the farm of a family considered to be poor.

On the way home dad asked “How’s the trip?”
“Great dad!”

“Did you see how poor some people can be?”
“Yes!”
“What did you learn?”
“I saw we have a dog, they have four; we have a pool, they have an endless creek; at night we have fancy lantern, they have stars; we buy food, they grow theirs; we have walls for protection they have friends. Thanks dad for showing me how poor we are”



This tale made me ponder on three things:

First, poverty is not only the insufficiency of material needs, it can be emotional or spiritual scarcity where the latter is more threatening and greater loss. . A person may have all the luxuries in the world but still find himself hollow, empty and unhappy.

Second, Wealth is not only measured by money and other assets, but rather by the contentment, companionship and peace of mind that a person has and enjoys.

Lastly, being rich and poor is both objective (economic status per se)s and subjective (state of well- being). A person, then can be rich at a start of the day and poor as the day ends.


Now the question is: Are you rich or poor?

Cocktails with the president

There were 49 CCS graduating students who attended the first Cocktail with the president on 8 September 2006 at 6:30-9:00p.m. The theme was “Quo vadis”, a Latin phrase meaning “where are you going.” It suits us, a question that bothers us now more than ever.

As usual Sir Belen shared lots of thoughts to ponder, mostly based form his experience.
Here are the views that struck me most:

“If it doesn’t kill you, it’s bound to do you good.”

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal.”

“Self mastery includes self discipline and self reliance.”

“…we are strong because we are individually strong… the members give strength to the organization, It should not be the other way around...”

“Success has many fathers, failure is an orphan.”


Note:

We took our seats though, but finger foods were served (so, the event ca still be justified as cocktail ^_^)

Thursday, September 07, 2006

Ora et labora


Here is an eye-opener story which Sir Mike shared to us during our Ethics class.

I saw a girl on the street, cold and shivering in a thin dress, and very evidently hungry.

I became angry with God and said,
“Why did you permit this? Why don’t you do something about it?”

That night I heard a small voice inside say,
“I did do something about it, I made you…What have you done about it?
(De Mello)

This article rings a bell of St. Paul's message "Prayer without action is quiet dead." (I forgot the passage)

The prayers we utter for the welfare of our brothers and sisters, especially the less fortunate ones, do not suffice; it do not give a concrete answer to problems.

Indeed, prayer is a powerful tool in our daily struggles. But prayer is not enough; it should go hand in hand with work.

The power of prayer is manifested by the actions we initiate. Let us all remember that each of us are God’s instrument in implementing his plans. It won’t hurt us if we pray and do some sacrifices as well. Every little act of goodness that a person can do matters a lot. If all of us will think like this there will surely be a difference--- a better result. This is like lighting a little candle which makes bright light in a rather dark room.

Let us start to be an advocate of Ora et labora (prayer and work) in our own ways.