wicked sensei

Awwww Shucks....

2007-04-12T11:30:00.000+08:00

given to me last april 11....

YOU'RE MISSED!

Its surprising how often i think of you,
turn to speak to you,
and realize that you're not there
as i expect you to be.

I guess i hold you so close in thought
that its hard
to understand sometimes that you aren't close
in person

But i wanted you to let you know
i'm thinking of you and wishing we could talk
and just be together awhile-

You're really missed!

the eggsperiment

2006-09-15T22:40:00.000+08:00

Last year was dissection; this year, its Egg Drop!

This is a direct quote form one of my Grade 7 students after completing the Egg Drop Experiment. The students were so hyped up after launching and retrieving their egg setup that they forgot that they needed to check if their egg survived the fall. But I’m getting ahead of my story….

The Egg Drop I was referring to was the Egg Drop experiment which we performed at the start of the second quarter. This “eggsperiment” is a bridge between the past and the future; the bridge between the students’ lessons in grade six with the lessons in grade seven. After having almost 4 years of experiment experience to back the students, we decided it was time for the students to do an experiment from scratch. And so, for this experiment, the students were given the following challenge: help a raw egg survive a fall from a 4 storey drop with 5 different kinds of materials. To accomplish this, students must plan for the experiment and create their own lab format, including the requisite parts; problem, hypothesis, materials, procedure, observation and finally, conclusion.

This challenge also involved recalling the different kinds of forces. After identifying the forces that will be a factor in this experiment, the students enthusiastically went into the planning for the experiment. Listening to the plans of the students gives one an idea of how ingenious our boys are…or how some show traits of being methodical and thorough. Years of experience taught them that each member of the group had something to contribute to the process so it was hardly a surprise to see various diagrams to show the free flow of different ideas. This phase of the experiment ended with the submission of their partially finished lab format and the prospect of doing the actual experiment the following meeting.

True to form, each class who will be launching their egg setups came to school prepared…some even beyond prepared. They were given half of the period to put together the setup from scratch. Working feverishly and intently, most of the groups were able to faithfully create what they envisioned would be a good vessel for the egg. Armed with different tools (needles, glue gun, scissors) and materials (umbrellas, egg cartons, pillows, cotton, tissue, Styrofoam boxes, and pencil cases) each group prepared their setup for the launch. A gofer was sent to the pocket garden directly above the Grade Seven faculty workroom to retrieve the launched setup. As each setup was released, students could not help but cheer for everyone’s setup, much to the consternation of some onlookers. But how can one not cheer? You see a parachute fashioned from a garbage bag unfurl fully to catch the air as it goes down, or a lunch bag stuffed with crumpled paper come crashing down to the ground with a thud or a carton propeller gently floating as it goes down with grace….and so on and so forth….

In the end, students realized it was not so much of the appearance of the setup, or the variety of materials brought to school. It was old-fashioned implementation of the lessons learned: how to defy gravity, how to increase drag, or how to lessen the impact from the fall. There were other “un-science” lessons too…lessons on cooperation, listening to other group mates, patience and realizing that there will always be problems (in this case, gravity) and so, sometimes, its just a matter of how to go around it, or at least lessen its impact on us.

All in all, I would say it was a successful experiment. A testament for this would be the students’ insights written in their own lab formats but more importantly, the good feelings that each one had after the experiment, whether it was successful or not. Students enjoyed this science lesson; and they learned something from it too. As a teacher I couldn’t ask for any other “eggciting” result.

2006-02-20T11:16:00.000+08:00

quick question....

you know that the school year is over when.....

a. the department chairs are frantically trying to observe everyone in their department.
b. you receive your committee assignment for the school year's graduation/closing ceremonies.
c. attending the championshiop matches of tiong lian basket ball league....a.k.a.mmtlba or somethin'
d. all of the above

well, waddya know...any true blooded xavier faculty who's been here long enough know that the answer is D....op kors, op kors....eniwey, i'd rather not talk about the department chairs, nor graduation...let's talk about basketball...one indicator that i'm actually a papa's girl is my love for the game. i remember watching PBA games shown on channel 4 and of course hoping against hope that crispa will win over toyota...yeah, i belong to the any team "basta wag lang si jaworski fans club".

so it was not even a surprise that i became an active supporter and spectator of the sport. i mean, me, the girl from uste coming from a rare sweep in the UAAP. but enough of the basketball tradition that i came form.actually, what got me involved in basketball was Fatima, who in turn was really good friend of the Mutucs. Ronnie Mutuc, on the other hand coaches SBP, these little kids from grades 3 to 6 playing, in my students' words, midget basketball....hehehe... and so early mornings of saturdays and sundays, we find ourselves waking up early to go to school so we can ride with the bus in going to, say, Ateneo, San Beda or even that school in Alabang! since there's not much traffic, we'd be early enough to grab breakfast from wherever.....and of course after the game, we get invited by the parents to lunch especially if our team wins...which was really really often. And since this happened about 10 years ago, i have boys, nay, young men, literally growing up in front of my eyes as i am always invited to their games. either by their parents or by the boys themselves....mahiritan ka ba naman ng, for old times sake, gaya ng dati, mga alaga mo naman kami and all that....

let's take this newly crowned tiong lian juniors team. in spite and despite of the distance, the lateness and the anticipated gruelling trying to wake up ritual the following morning, i just had to watch their championship games. Imagine, most of these kids, i was with since they were in grade 3...and now they're high 4! i remember kevin "joey boy" chong who used to eat 2 platters of rice every meal hence the monicker joey boy from that royal commercial.....i also remember the debut of charles tiu, who's first basket was reminscent of his older brother's shooting style...to the delight of his dad who shared to us that he'd have to literally drag charles so that he'd practice with him...in the same league was Andre "A2" Co, so named because there was another andre in the squad and who happened to be the youngest son of my basketball idol, Atoy Co. A2 used to sleep with his head on my lap as we go from ateneo to someplace where we can have lunch. poor kid was so exhausted from playing ball he sleeped as soon as the coaster started moving. Woodward "Woody" Co on the other hand, started playing when he was in grade 4 and we knew he'll go places because he's got "it". Later on, other players became closer to me because i became their teacher in either grade 6 or 7. Irvin Cristae "IC" Sta Maria, a very promising point impressed me alot when he was in grade 7 because wanting to graduate with highest honors, opted to sit out his last basketball season in grade school in order to do just that. of course, he did graduate with a gold medal and was even asked to lead the Xavier Pledge, an honor that is not easily bestowed to any graduating student.

And so it was truly a very poignant moment to see these students of mine, active in the basketball court, trying to be as composed as possible in order to snag the much coveted title of tiong lian champion. one would think that this league is the "IT" league, never mind SBP-Pasarelle, PAYA, ISSA and all the others. To some extent, yes. even as a mere spectator, i can feel that the school, particularly the alumni, gives their support...the busses, the cheering paraphernalia, the presence of dance x and x squad....but hey, it IS the premier filipino-chinese basketball league. To win in this league is a laurel in anyone's cap and i am truly, truly proud that once again, it rests on the heads of these valiant xaverians.

and so, as this basketball season draws to a close, i take my hats off to these kids, who one upon a time slept on my lap, ate tons of rice and had to be dragged by his dad to practice the sport but in the end, are victorious. thanks guys for returning the glory back to xavier school. here's hoping that the jubillee team next year will repeat this outstanding feat!

the end of an era

2005-12-09T23:02:00.000+08:00

tonight marks the end of another chapter in our lives as grade six teachers...the end of bukas palad night....through sheer grit and determination, we managed a record setting pace of a BPN for 5 consecutive weeks.... and a BPN on the eve of sem break so as to start the new year with a clean slate, so to speak.... so what was so special about this BPN? well, if you think about it, not much...if anything, this batch of grade six kids benefitted a lot from the 2 batches who went and forged their way through the program, most especially the amazing street kids race....just like other batches, we had our share of pasaway kids, cry babies and of course those kids who would do anything and everything to get us to do things their way.... yeah, one might say...same old, same old.... but then again, looking back on the past 8 days and nights of BPN, there are a few things that set us apart...for one, my class, 6C had the living rosary in the newly renovated EED formation center. the living rosary has been something that i wanted to share to the community in general and to my anaks in particular. i was truly overjoyed when i got to share it with my anaks. secondly, i got to interact with the volunteers more because of the station i handled. the grade 7 boys, charles, chico....and lastly, one notable thing about the series of BPN was the people involved in it. the students and the teachers who sacrificed the start of their weekend (and sem break) to be with the students and the students who had to go through a lot of mockery and hardship in order to realize a lesson that hopefully they will carry in their hearts for a long long time...and this is embodied in the questions i posed to my advisees as we discussed out committment....

what have i done for christ? (who is in my classmates)
what am i doing for christ? (who is in my family)
what ought i do for christ? (who is in the street children)

and so, as another chapter closes, we sit back and eagerly anticipate the fruits of our sacrifice....the knowledge that these fruits might ripen now or in the next 1...5, 10 or even perhaps 20 years from now is immaterial. what matters most is that the seed is planted and we have faith that it will bear fruit...all for the greater glory of GOD

can i be bad?

2005-10-13T17:31:00.000+08:00

sometimes you gotta hand ot over to the villains on tv...or movies..or the corrupt government officials... when they feel like the world is ganging up on them, even if it was their fault, they kick, scream, curse, throw things, setup traps...even mangle a limb or two in order to get back at their (supposed) oppressor...buti pa sila...but what about folks like me? someone who was brought up not to be violent, use peaceful means in order to settle differences...and not to mention, as a teacher, maintain a high moral and emotional standard where violence is never an option....but what i need is a release!!! after today, i feel physically and emotionally beaten to a pulp. so much so that even a student who is not what you would peg as sensitive noticed my sad demeanor. of course, i can always look back at this time last year, when about the same thing happened, being reduced to something like a pond scum, being told in effect that i was good for nothing...and yet i've managed to live through it....but the old battle wounds have been reopened, compromising my very existence. it doesn't help a teeny bit that a bunch of us were trampled upon....same wounds...same group of people. for once in my life, i want to be a villain and just get a piece of that one person who is responsible for this. can i actually wait for heaven to settle the score? i want to punch this person on the face, and i'll take any punch, even if its a sucker punch...perhaps, perhaps, i just need some time to cool off, count one till a million and face tomorrow with a smile. then, that, perhaps can be my revenge. for even if i have been beaten to a pulp, i shall stand smiling in front of my oppressor. how about that? in the meantime, is the football field free? i wanna scream on top of my lungs...curses not included.

new office slang.....

2005-09-16T18:48:00.000+08:00

so some won't be refered to as a 404..... and also for those whose spouses are square headed....

404 - Someone who is clueless. From the Web error message, 404 Not Found, which means the document requested couldnt be located. Dont bother asking John. Hes 404.

Adminisphere - The rarified organizational layers above the rank and file that makes decisions that are often profoundly inappropriate or irrelevant.

Alpha Geek - The most knowledgeable, technically proficient person in an office or work group. I dunno, ask Rick. Hes our alpha geek.

Assmosis - The process by which some people seem to absorb success and advancement by kissing up to the boss rather than working hard.

Batmobiling - putting up emotional shields. Refers to the retracting armor that covers the Batmobile as in she started talking marriage and he started batmobiling

Beepilepsy - The brief siezure people sometimes suffer when their beepers go off, especially in vibrator mode. Characterized by physical spasms, goofy facial expressions, and stopping speech in mid-sentence.

Betamaxed - When a technology is overtaken in the market by inferior but better marketed competition as in Microsoft betamaxed Apple right out of the market

Blamestorming - A group discussion of why a deadline was missed or a project failed and who was responsible.

Blowing Your Buffer - Losing ones train of thought. Occurs when the person you are speaking with wont let you get a word in edgewise or has just said something so astonishing that your train gets derailed. Damn, I just blew my buffer! (Synonym: Head Crash)

Body Nazis - Hard-core exercise and weight-lifting fanatics who look down on anyone who doesnt work out obsessively.

Bookmark - To take note of a person for future reference. After seeing his cool demo at Siggraph, I bookmarked him.

Brain Fart - A byproduct of a bloated mind producing information effortlessly; a burst of useful information. I know youre busy on the Microsoft story, but can you give us a brain fart on the Mitnik bust? Variation of old hacker slang that had more
negative connotations.

CGI Joe - A hard-core CGI script programmer with all the social skills and charisma of a plastic action figure.

Chainsaw Consultant - An outside expert brought in to reduce the employee head count, leaving the top brass with clean hands.

Chip Jewelry - Old computers destined to be scrapped or turned into decoration. I paid three grand for that Mac and now its nothing but chip jewelry.

Chips and Salsa - Chips = hardware, salsa = software. First we gotta figure out if the problems in your chips or your salsa.

CLM (Career Limiting Move)- Used by microserfs to describe an ill-advised activity. Trashing your boss while he or she is within earshot is a serious CLM.

Cobweb - A WWW site that never changes.

Crapplet - A badly written or profoundly useless Java applet. I just wasted 30 minutes downloading that crapplet!

CROP DUSTING - Surreptitiously farting while passing thru a cube farm, then enjoying the sounds of dismay and disgust; leads to PRAIRIE DOGGING.....

Cube Farm - An office filled with cubicles.

Dead Tree Edition - The paper version of a publication available in both paper and electronic forms.

Dilberted - To be exploited and oppressed by your boss, as is Dilbert, the comic strip character. Damn, Ive been dilberted again! The old man revised the specs for the fourth time this week.

Dorito Syndrome - The feeling of emptiness and dissatisfaction triggered by addictive substances that lack nutritional content. I just spent six hours
surfing the Web, and now Ive got a bad case of Dorito Syndrome.

Egosurfing - Scanning the Net, databases, etc., for ones own name.

Elvis Year - The peak year of popularity as in 1993 was Barney the dinosaurs Elvis year

Flight Risk - Used to describe employees who are suspected of planning to leave a company or department soon.

Generica - Fast food joints, strip malls, subdivisions as in we were so lost in generica that I couldnt remember what city it was

Glazing - Corporate-speak for sleeping with your eyes open; a popular pastime at conferences and early-morning meetings. Didnt he notice that by the second session half the room was glazing?

Going Postal - Totally stressed out and losing it like postal employees who went on shooting rampages

GOOD job - A "Get-Out-Of-Debt" job. A well-paying job people take in order to pay off their debts, one that they will quit as soon as they are solvent again.

Gray Matter - Older, experienced business people hired by young entrepreneurial firms trying to appear more professional and established.

Graybar Land - The place you go while youre staring at a computer thats processing something very slowly (while you watch the gray bar creep across the screen). That CAD rendering put me in graybar land for like an hour.

High Dome - Egghead, scientist, PhD

Idea Hamsters - People whose idea generators are always running.

Irritainment - Entertainment and media spectacles that are annoying, but you find yourself unable to stop watching them. The O.J. trials were a prime example.

Its a Feature - From the old adage, Its not a bug, its a feature. Used sarcastically to describe an unpleasant problem you wish to gloss over.

Keyboard Plaque - The disgusting buildup of dirt and crud found on some peoples computer keyboards.

Link Rot - The process by which web pages links become obsolete as the sites theyre connected to change or die.

Meatspace - The physical world (as opposed to the virtual) also carbon community facetime F2F RL

Mouse Potato - The online generations answer to the couch potato.

Ohnosecond - That minuscule fraction of time during which you realize youve just made a terrible error.

Open-Collar Workers - People who work at home or telecommute.

Percussive Maintenance - The fine art of whacking the crap out of an electronic device to get it to work again.

Perot - To quit unexpectedly. My cellular phone just peroted.

Plug-and-Play - A new hire who doesnt require training. That new guy is totally plug-and-play.

Prairie Dogging - When something loud happens in a cube farm, causing heads to pop up over the walls trying to see whats going on.

Ribs N Dick - A budget with no fat as in weve got ribs n dick and were supposed to find 20K for memory upgrades

Salmon Day - The experience of spending an entire day swimming upstream only to get screwed in the end. God, today was a total salmon day!

Seagull Manager - A manager who flies in, makes a lot of noise, shits over everything and then leaves.

Siliwood - The coming convergence of movies, interactive TV and computers; also Hollywired

SITCOMs - What yuppies turn into when they have children and one of them stops working to stay home with the kids. Single Income, Two Children, Oppressive Mortgage

Square-Headed Spouse - Computer

Squirt the Bird - To transmit a signal up to a satellite. Crew and talent are ready...what time do we squirt the bird?

Starter Marriage - A short-lived first marriage that ends in divorce with no kids, no property and no regrets.

Stress Puppy - A person who thrives on being stressed-out and whiny.

Swiped Out - An ATM or credit card that has been used so much its magnetic strip is worn away.

Tourists - Those who take training classes just to take a vacation from their jobs. There were only three serious students in the class; the rest were just tourists.

Treeware - Hacker slang for documentation or other printed material.

Umfriend - One with whom one has a sexual relationship; as in, this is Dale, my...um...friend.

Under Mouse Arrest - Getting busted for violating an online services rule of conduct. Sorry I couldnt get back to you. AOL put me under mouse arrest.

Uninstalled - Euphemism for being fired. Also: decruitment.

Vulcan Nerve Pinch - The taxing hand position required to reach all the appropriate keys for certain commands. For instance, the warm re-boot for a Mac II computer involves simultaneously pressing the Control key, the Command key, the Return key and the Power On key.

WOOFYS - Well Off Older Folks.

World Wide Wait - The real meaning of WWW.

Xerox Subsidy - Euphemism for swiping free photocopies from ones workplace.

Yuppie Food Coupons - Twenty dollar bills from an ATM.

wit with one letter

2005-09-16T18:41:00.000+08:00

something that got dropped in my mailbox today....good for a chuckle or two...or even more...read on....

The Washington Post's Style Invitational once again asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing ONE letter, and supply a new definition.

Here are this year's winners:

1. Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize that it was your money to start with.

2. Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly.

3. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. (The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.)

4. Foreploy: Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.

5. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period.

6. Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.

7. Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.

8. Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.

9. Hipatitis: Terminal coolness.

10. Osteopornosis: A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)

11. Karmageddon: It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.

12. Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.

13. Glibido: All talk and no action.

14. Dopeler effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.

15. Arachnoleptic fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.

16. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.

17. Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a grub in the fruit you're eating.

And the pick of the literature:

18. Ignoranus: A person who's both stupid and an a--hole

key to Under a Clear Blue Sky

2005-08-24T15:58:00.000+08:00

the color blue has the power to soothe the soul. even a blue image in the mind can slow the pulse and make you take a deep breath. other colors have significance, too. The scene you pictured contrasted against that clear blue sky reveals a hidden talent that resides in the depths of your untroubled mind.

a. a white snowy plain
you are blessed with a special sensitivity that allows you to comprehend situations at a glance and decipher complex problems without needing any proof of explanation. You have what it takes to be a clear-sighted decision maker and even something of a visionary. Always trust your first intuitions; they will guiide you well.

b. a blue seascape
you have a natural talent for interpersonal relations. people respect your ability to communicate with others and the way you help bring diverse groups together. just by being around, you help others work more smoothly and efficiently, making you an invaluable member of any projct or team. when you say, "nice job. keep up the good work," people know you mean it. so it means that much more to them.

c. a green mountain
your gift is for expressive communication. you always seem to be able to find the words to express the way you feel and people soon realize it's exactly how they were feeling, too. they say that joy shared is multiplied, while shared grief is divided. you always seem to be able to help others find the right side of that equation.

d.a field of yellow flowers
you are a storehouse of knowledge and creativity, bursting with ideas and almost infinite potential. keep attuned to the feeling so others and never stop working on building your dreams, and there is nothing you cannot achieve.

murphy's law

2005-08-18T12:26:00.000+08:00

thought about this one night while waiting in vain for a cab to come by after dinner. of course while having dinner, there were lots of unoccupied ones..... :>

Murphy's Law

Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.

You will always find something in the last place you look.

No matter how long or how hard you shop for an item, after you've bought it, it will be on sale somewhere cheaper.

The other line always moves faster.

In order to get a loan, you must first prove you don't need it.

Anything you try to fix will take longer and cost you more than you thought.

If you fool around with a thing for very long you will screw it up.

If it jams - force it. If it breaks, it needed replacing anyway.

When a broken appliance is demonstrated for the repairman, it will work perfectly.

Build a system that even a fool can use, and only a fool will use it.

Everyone has a scheme for getting rich that will not work.

In any hierarchy, each individual rises to his own level of incompetence, and then remains there.

There's never time to do it right, but there's always time to do it over.

When in doubt, mumble. When in trouble, delegate.

Anything good in life is either illegal, immoral or fattening.

Murphy's golden rule: whoever has the gold makes the rules.

Nature always sides with the hidden flaw.

A Smith & Wesson beats four aces.

In case of doubt, make it sound convincing.

Never argue with a fool, people might not know the difference.

http://userpage.chemie.fu-berlin.de/diverse/murphy/murphy_e.html

k4: Under A Clear Blue Sky

2005-08-08T17:41:00.000+08:00

k4: Under A Clear Blue Sky

Imagine a clear blue sky without a cloud insight. Just thinking about it should give your spirits a lift. Now, turn your mind's eye down to survey the landscape. Which of the following scenes feels most calming and relaxing to you?

a. a snowy white plain
b. a blue sea scape
c. a green mountain
d. a field of yellow flowers

do you have a choice already? stay tuned in the next few days for the interpretation to k4: Under A Clear Blue Sky.....

tama na yan.....

2005-08-01T18:51:00.000+08:00

tama na ang senti....sorta.....

yeah, sometimes i feel kinda lost....sometimes i'm bouncing off the walls....sometimes i feel like shouting and then....wala lang...parang deflated balloon, wala nang hangin....ang mga panahong di na kaya ng powers kong makipagsabayan...sa energy level ng mga kabataan....at the risk of being called gurang....but in truth sometimes i feel like i'm one....WOW! rhyme!...tama ba spelling? care ko, eh sa mahina ako sa music...like i always say. eniwey, okei lang naman siguro to speak in filipino....wala naman akong foreign audience....

eniwey ulit....

ayokong magumpisa sa napakalaking trabaho...just wanted to while away my time. and so, here i publish a pic...this one is like 2 years old or probably more. you can't find me amidst the giants whom i call cousins...yeah, they're all tall. and some are younger than i am! this is one perfect example of the oft repeated phrase, its in the genes....yan ang height na galing sa mga valencia...sayang, i didn't grow as tall as they did...or are growing! and so, may present, the valencia clan....

you know you're a filipino when....

2005-07-28T18:23:00.000+08:00

You Know You're Filipino When....

Your middle name is your mother's maiden name.

Your parents call each other "Mommy" and "Daddy."

You have uncles and aunts named "Boy," "Girlie," or "Baby."

You have relatives whose nicknames consist of repeated syllables like "Jun-Jun," "Ling-Ling," and "Mon-Mon." Mine by the way was "Che-Che."

You call the parents of your friends and your own parents' friends "Tito" and "Tita."

You have four or five names.

You greet your elders by touching their hands to your forehead.

You always kiss your relatives on the cheek whenever you enter or leave the room.

You follow your parents' house rules even if you are over 18.

You live with your parents until and at times even after you're married.

You decorate your dining room wall with a picture of the "Last Supper."

You keep your furniture wrapped in plastic or covered with blankets.

You have a Sto. Nino shrine in your living room.

You have a piano that no one plays.

You keep a tabo in your bathroom.

You use Vicks Vapor rub as an insect repellant.

You eat with your hands.

You eat more than three times a day.

You think a meal is not a meal without rice.

You think sandwiches are snacks, not meals.

Your dining table has a merry-go-round (lazy Susan) in the middle.

You bring baon to work everyday.

Your pantry is never without Spam, Vienna sausage, corned beef, and sardines.

You love to eat daing or tuyo.

You prop up one knee while eating.

ou eat your meal with patis, toyo, suka, banana catsup, or bagoong.

Your tablecloths are stained with toyo circles.

You love sticky desserts and salty snacks.

You eat fried Spam and hot dogs with rice.

You eat mangoes with rice--with great GUSTO!

You love "dirty" ice cream.

You love to eat, yet often manage to stay slim.

You put hot dogs in your spaghetti.

Everything you eat is sauted in garlic, onion, and tomatoes.

You order a "soft drink" instead of soda.

You hang a rosary on your car's rear view mirror.

You get together with family at a cemetery on All Saint's Day to eat, drink, and tell stories by your loved ones' graves.

You play cards or mahjong and drink beer at funeral wakes.

You think Christmas season begins in October and ends in January.

Your second piece of luggage is a balikbayan box.

You've mastered the art of packing a suitcase to double capacity.

You collect items from airlines, hotels, and restaurants as "souvenirs."

You feel obligated to give pasalubong to all your friends and relatives each time you return from a trip.

You use paper foot outlines when buying shoes for friends and relatives.

You're a fashion victim.

You can convey 30 messages with your facial expression.

You hold your palms together in front of you and say "excuse, excuse" when you pass in between people or in front of the TV.

You ask for the bill at a restaurant by making a rectangle in the air.

You cover your mouth when you laugh.

You respond to a "Hoy!" or a "Pssst!" in a crowd.

You'll answer "Malapit lang!"--no matter the distance--when asked how far away a place is located.

Goldilocks is more than a fairy tale character to you.

You refer to power interruptions as "brownouts."

You love to use the following acronyms: CR for comfort room, DI for dance instructor, DOM for dirty old man, TNT for tago nang tago, KJ for kill joy, KSP for kulang sa pansin, OA for over-acting, TL for true love, BF for boyfriend and GF for girlfriend.

You say "rubber shoes" instead of sneakers, "ball pen" instead of pen, "stockings" instead of pantyhose, "pampers" instead of diapers, "ref" or "prijider" instead of refrigerator, "Colgate" instead of toothpaste, "canteen" instead of cafeteria, and "open" or "close" instead of turn on or turn off (as in the lights).

You use an umbrella for shade on hot summer days.

You like everything imported or "state-side."

You love ballroom dancing, bowling, pusoy, mah jong, billiards, and karaoke.

You have a relative who is a nurse.

When you're in a restaurant, you wipe your plate and utensils before using them.

You can squeeze 15 passengers into your five seater car without a second thought.

You wave a pom-pom on a stick around the food to keep the flies away.

You always ring a doorbell twice, assuming that the first ring was not heard.

You let the phone ring twice before answering, lest you appear overly eager.

Your other piece of luggage is a balikbayan box.

You use a rock to scrub yourself in the bath or shower.

You're proud to be Filapino - and you pass these jokes on to all your Filipino friends!

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i am proud....

2005-07-28T18:00:00.000+08:00

a lot of my friends and aquaintances remember me going to baguio this summer for a retreat. i am perhaps one of the few people who really volunteered to go...and that is because i did not allow myself to be bothered by the work that awaits me after the retreat. i see retreats as a way of energizing myself, preparing myself for the coming school year. in this retreat, i allowed myself to be open, and to have a listening heart.

Anyhow, the retreat started quite beautifully though baguio at that time of the year is so unpredictable; sun is out shining and next thing you know, it's raining cats and dogs. We were given this nice notebook for us to write on. it was thick with beautiful inserts. i guess i was inspired to write on it my reflections, art works and such. i was having a wonderful time going to my corner of mirador villa...it was strategically located in one of the gardens that was overlooking the city. i even had regular "cafe by the grotto" at 10 pm....unmindful of the fact that my companions were a lone street lamp, a cup of coffee,rolling fog and my text mate(you know who you are...thanks!).

And then in one of the sessions our facilitator made us imagine being in the presence of Jesus...and He was talking to us....telling us why He was proud of me.....and then i was stumped! i found myself dreading such an encounter. I have always said to people that i can die anytime because i am not tied to anything, nor to anyone. but don't get me wrong, i am happy and i am enjoying...it's just that i'm free to leave....but when our faci made us imagine that scene, i felt like crying. whenever i remember it, i feel like sobbing....when i was reflecting during the ignite, bam! there it goes again, the dread...just like how i feel now....

what can jesus be proud of me? 31 years of life in this world and i can't think of one...have i been taking up space here in this world as i continue my meaningless existence? is it meaningless? i haven't found my answer, i dread looking for an answer. is he proud of me?

para sa mga adik......sa kape

2005-07-18T17:30:00.000+08:00

c'mon...try it....

You Are an Iced Coffee

At your best, you are: hyper, modern, and athletic

At your worst, you are: cheap and angsty

You drink coffee when: you're out with friends

Your caffeine addiction level: medium

What Kind of Coffee Are You?

presenting....chris tiu

2005-07-18T09:05:00.000+08:00

this is the introduction i made for chris tiu who was the guess speaker during the LTS last friday, july 15

---------------------------

Good evening….

Our guest speaker for tonight is, as one teacher said, the poster boy of Xavier School. He is literally in every other poster that you see around, but not THAT poster with two other students. But perhaps, that teacher did not realize that his qualification as a poster boy is not because of his “master”-ful looks…..he’s more that just a pretty face… he IS indeed the ideal Xavier Graduate, the ideal poster boy for Xavier. He graduated with a gold medal in grade school, plus 7 more for subject excellence and countless championships and MVP titles tucked under his belt. And yes, he was the Treasurer of the Grade School Student Council. When he graduated from high school, he took home another gold for academic excellence, but was also honored with the Xavier Award on the same year. Of course, it would be an injustice not to mention that on the same year he graduated, he was the SC vice president, the captain ball of the school’s champion basketball juniors squad, the chair of the Variety show com of the school fair and of course the Sangguniang Kabataan chairman of Barangay Urdaneta. From these achievements, he went on to the Ateneo to study Management Engineering. For us mere mortals, being in this program means you are a straight A student. And true to his grade school and high school days here in Xavier, we was part of another basketball team, the Ateneo Seniors’ basketball squad. While serving as one of the team’s point guard, he still manages to maintain decent grades, decent enough to earn for himself the title of a DL or dean’s lister. He is happiest when he is of service to others and he acknowledges that there is always room for improvement even though a lot of people have elevated him to greatness status. Through all these accolades, he still describes himself as hardworking, reserved and a peacemaker. 10 odd years after my first encounter with this kid, he still remains humble, his sights set on his goals, sometimes wavering but nevertheless managing to attain the goals he set for himself. He is one person who knows how to balance his time and priorities, and when the going gets tough, he turns to people he trusts, his teachers, his friends, his family and His creator.

And so student leaders, may I now present to you, a student any teacher can be proud of, and today’s birthday boy Mr. Christopher John Alandy Dy Tiu.

why nga ba?

2005-07-05T17:48:00.000+08:00

coming into the workroom today during recess, a small group of grade 7 students, all of them officers last year, saw me and talked to me. One of them kept asking why? Why was i in grade six and not in grade seven? i told him, it was not my call, it was not "my say". i was happy with the assignment because much as i enjoy being in grade seven, i really couldn't see why there's simply lots of things needed to be done there. still, he persisted...he said, it felt like such a long time when they longed to be in grade seven and when they started school, they were obviously disappointed because i was not in the team. finally, i acknowledged their feelings and said i was actually flattered but just like what i said, it was not for me to decide. sensing that he is banging his head on the wall, he went to another issue, that of not being with SC anymore. that, unfortunately was a personal choice. i guess i was simply too tired because of SC that i felt i've done my time (much like a prisoner???)and the time was ripe for new blood to step in. well, i guess he felt he did couldn't do anything about the situation, and so do i. finally, i told them that i may not be inside the classroom or in their SC meeting but i am still around.....

key to Forgotten Wallet (K3)

2005-07-04T18:41:00.000+08:00

The amount of cash you found represents the amount of money you forget about in your daily life; money you don't rely being there. It also represents the amount of money you feel comfortable lending to others. Just how much did you say you found?

About 10 or 20 dollars? That seems like a reasonable figure.

More than a hundred? You're probably popular with friends just before payday.

Nothing at all? Maybe you're broke, or are you just cheap?

K3: The Forgotten Wallet

2005-07-01T18:56:00.000+08:00

Its a morning like any other: last minute preparations before you run out of the door. Hair? Check. Clothes? Check. Everything is ready to go....

You get on your way at the usual time, but halfway to work you realize that your wallet is not where you always keep it. A quick search confirms the worst-you left it at home! And there's no time for you to turn around and go back for it. You begin going through your pockets and bags to see how much spare cash you have to get you through the day. How much money do you find?

key to Judging by its cover (k2)

2005-06-29T17:31:00.000+08:00

The idea of releasing your own CD ties into the psychological need for self expression. The design you'd like to see on your CD corresponds to those aspects of your personality that you want others to see as your own best attribute. New let's see how the rest of the world views you...

1. A scene relying on imagery or photos taken from some exotic location.

You see yourself as a caring gentle person who always has a smile or kind word for others. As a matter of fact, its hard to imagine how someone could be more sensitive than you. But to others, it seems as though you've got a wall around you that doesn't let anything get through to you, and all that sensitivity starts to look insincere. If you never let your guard down and show how you really feel, people will always be wondering what you're really thinking.

2. A fun, cartoonish design or playful image

You're sociable, talkative, and fun to be around. And you know it. But others see the flip side of the coin as well-unreliable, flighty and tending to get carried away by the moment. Being able to make people laugh is great, but it takes on a different meaning if they are laughing at you, not with you.

3. An abstract pattern without any obvious meaning, but one that makes people think.

You take pains to express your natural creativity and talent to the world. That talent may be there, but you need to remember that other people have their talents, too. The real way for you to shine is to accept and work together with others. Until you do, you risk being seen as strange. Your originality is important, but don't let it make you into just another crackpot eccentric.

4. A picture of yourself

You take the straightforward people approach, saying "This is me, take me as i am," and you see that simple honesty as your strongest feature. But what you intend as honesty can come across stubbornness-"This is me, I'm never going to change." Nobody's so great that they can't get better. If you want to keep the same image forever, at least make sure they get your good side.

kokology 2: Judging by its cover

2005-06-28T13:00:00.000+08:00

Think of what would it be like to be the best selling pop star in the world, the darling of the media and idol to millions. It is not such an uncommon fantasy to entertain as you sing along to the car radio or belt out hit after hit in the shower. You get a thrilling sense of satisfaction from being able to move people through the power of song.

You are a new recording artist, and you've just finished cutting your debut CD. Now all that remains is for you to decide on the cover design of the CD case. What type of jacket design would you pick?

1. a soothing scence using imagery or photos taken from some exotic location

2. a fun cartoonish design or other playful image.

3. an abstract pattern without any obvious meaning, but one that makes people think.

4. a picture of yourself

key to judging by its cover on the next post....

why grad school?

2005-06-27T10:38:00.000+08:00

a funny thing happened to me on my way to UST that day.... i found myself grinning like a cheshire cat...it was kinda automatic. i think the corners of my mouth defied gravity as soon as i set foot on my former alma mater...and so i decided to study there....but i'm getting ahead of my story...

why grad school?

eversince i can remember, two or three department chairs ago, i have been constantly badgered with request from these good people to enrol myself to grad school. actually, i did, about a decade ago, when teaching and what it entails was confined to the day. i mean, i never had to bring home some more work to do at home...and so i had time in my hands so i enrolled myself in Ateneo, MS Biology! hah! for someone who is an educ graduate, that course is so way out of my league..... well, 12 or 15 units after, i found myself flooded with so much work in grade six that a week is no longer enough so i abandoned it grad school...

fast forward to 10 years later and again i found time...sadly, that time was just a month as it was summer vacation. well, it was long enough for me to get bored and get funny ideas...such as enrolling in grad school..... and so there i was, the edges of my brain fried to a crisp, banging the academic doors of UST for a slot in their graduate school. the gods must be smiling (strains of "...i must have done something good.....") so i was granted a slot with nary an interview and an entrance exam (was it the recom letter of mrs dairo or ms caralipio?)

but still, this question was not answered...why grad school? well, just like this blog, i dunno why...the only thing that pops in my mind is....why not?

treasured memories in xavier

2005-06-24T18:47:00.000+08:00

-dragging a particularly famous student from the grade six workroom to the grade six bathroom...just because he did not attend a meeting

-staying up till 2 (or was it 3?)am during an LTS, just talking with other attendees

-waking up at 5:30 am during saturdays and sundays to catch SBP/Pasarelle games in ateneo or alabang

-calling out the name of a teacher while a star player was taking his freethrow shot....of course he missed!

-hanging out with high four sudents during the last day of the fair, reminiscing their grade four days!

-having a heart to heart talk with a student near the football field, and predicting what would happen to his love life...worse, my prediction turned out to be true!

-dancing with the pyramid dancers amidst the grade 6 students' pyramid building game during their class night

-celebrating my first birthday in XS while i was attending the colloquim...with participants singing happy birthday the moment i woke up right up to the time i was getting ready to retire for the day.

-sleeping in the faculty workroom after graduation so as not to be late for the flight to palawan early the following day...and all the other trips to Boracay (way back when it was not so famous, therefore it was still pristine), Cebu and Davao.

-the synthesis quarter, moments like the "wong-wong" sword fight and 2 kids "begging" for "isang piso" while lying on the floor...trust me, it was hilarious, being YMed by close to 20 Xiamen boys, begging to come home a few days after arriving from the Philippines

key to something's fishy

2005-06-24T02:38:00.000+08:00

wait....do you have an answer for something's fishy? if not, go back to the previous blog. if you do have an answer, then read on....

key to something's fishy

the fish that you hooked acted out what could be interpreted as a final counterattack, and the place you imagined it striking is a part of yourself you particularly want to protect. It is a truth of human psychology that we often fantasize that those things we want to keep hidden will get found and the things we want to protect will come under attack. So the body part you named is actually a place you feel insure or sensitive about.

was it your face? Take a good look in the mirror. Maybe you just need to smile more.

your stomach? maybe your unconscious is telling you it's about time to cut down on the cheesecake.

somewhere between the legs? well, we all fell a little sensitive down there...

something's fishy

2005-06-23T09:30:00.000+08:00

When it comes to relaxing in the great outdoors, few activities have the perennial appeal of fishing. Every weekend, no matter the weather, dedicated anglers set off to their favorite spot, joined by curious first timers in their pursuit of the day's catch. Not many past times can boast the number of confirmed addicts that fishing has. What could be the secret of its allure?

You are out for a day of fishing when you get a strike. As you reel the fish out of the water, it trashes on the line and smacks into you. What area of your body does the fish hit?

guide to kokology

2005-06-23T08:03:00.000+08:00

8 things you gotta remember when you play kokology

1. say the first thing that pops in your mind
2. play with other people if you can
3. don't try to predict the answers
4. be honest with yourself
5. be prepared for some papers and pencils
6. don't wait for the result blog before choosing an answer
7. watch your reaction (or others')
8. keep an open mind

should you want explanations, write to me.....

kokology

2005-06-23T02:40:00.000+08:00

a lot of people are not quite sure about this thing but anybody who'd read a women's or teen mag or have an email add would surely know how to go about one.

anyways, kokology is derived from the japanese term kokoro which means mind or spirit. Nagao and Saito's books offer seemingly innocent questions and situations and they reveal who you are based on the answer you gave.

each day (hopefully), i'll feature a situation and/or question and i will reveal the interpretation after a day or two of posting the situation. by the way, all of these things are taken from kokology and kokology 2 by isamu saito and tadahiko nagao.

and so, happy kokology, everyone!!!

at the end of the day

2005-06-22T08:15:00.000+08:00

its now 10 minutes past five and i'm done for the day....actually, tuesday is a no sweat day...its just that i tell myself to finish certain things which i know i physically can't...like a 10 day log book. but the day doesn't end here...there's this wake that we gotta attend kse its the brother of a friend...and the school director is saying the mass. i just don't know if i'd be having dinner first or i gotta go home muna....sigh....

da first......

2005-06-21T16:20:00.000+08:00

i've got to be loosing my head! i dunno actually why i have a blog...i guess i merely joined the bandwagon without really thinking....i could really think of a reason why someone would read my blog so here goes...anyways, should you stumble (yes you) upon this blog and you've just got to give a piece of your mind, then, don't hesitate to do so....and yeah, i just need to delete your post if i don't like an iota of it!!! mwahahahahaha!!!

2005-06-21T15:39:00.000+08:00

cutie!!!! love this pic

2005-06-21T15:38:00.001+08:00

wish i could have had this a lot clearer....

2005-06-21T15:38:00.000+08:00

this is the renegade section in grade seven last year....7X...