Dahil sa mga hindi inaasahang pangyayari, isang mahalagang anunsyo para sa aking mga mag-aaral: Ang inyong Unang Mahabang Pagsusulit sa Kasaysayan ng Pilipinas ay magaganap sa Lunes at Martes (Agosto 3 at 4), parehong oras at silid. Pakisabihan na lamang ang inyong mga kaklase. Gamitin ang bakanteng panahon sa pagsasaliksik. Samakatuwid, walang klase ng Hulyo 30 at 31. Maraming salamat at paumanhin.
Ang inyong guro ay nagpapaalala sa lahat ng kanyang mga mag-aaral sa Kasaysayan ng Pilipinas na kukuha ng Unang Mahabang Pagsusulit ngayong linggo: mag-aral, at ikaw ay papasa; mag-aral ng mahusay, at magkakamit ka ng mataas na marka; o huwag mag-aral, at huwag ka nang umasang pumasa. Simple lang ang buhay. Gamitin ang inyong husay at talento. Matira ang matibay…
There are so many things occupying my mind lately. Some good, but most of them not. Presently, I’m trying to figure out how to finish several book articles out of nothing. Nothing. (Deadline is July 15, 2009!) Three months were allotted to this project but time is not your friend when your head’s into a lot of work – and heaps of problems. Seemingly, I am able to write blog entries and frequently update my facebook status; however, I can’t start a thing or two doing the more serious stuff. Talk about focus and concentration…
Makes me think, from an American anthologist: “To concentrate too long on any one subject will cause the loss of perspective and a commonsense viewpoint.” Makes sense.
At long last, after a month-long dispute with LG Electronics Inc., the company has finally decided to replace a defective DVD receiver system I purchased at Abenson Ermita (Robinsons Place) last May. That stubborn technician would’ve just wanted to repair the said equipment. Instead, I insisted that that item be replaced because I wasn’t able to use it even once. (It was delivered home but was never tested, unfortunately.) I would have moved heaven and earth for this one. I’ve been to D.T.I. several years back to file a complaint against an unscrupulous celfone agent. And this time, I was again prepared to head there for another round of good fight.
But hey, in the end, I got what I wanted. All’s well that ends well after all. ‘Life is good’ as that LG motto goes. I agree, sometimes…
Ako ay mula sa ika-limang distrito ng Maynila at isang lehitimong botante ng aming lugar. Ang kinatawan ng aming distrito ay si G. Amado Bagatsing. Ang aming kagalang-galang na mambabatas ay isa sa mga sumang-ayon para sa pagbubuo ng isang Con-Ass…
Mabuti na lamang at nalaman na natin ngayon pa lamang ang mahalagang impormasyong ito. Dahil pihado alam na nating lahat kung paano natin gagamitin ang ating mga boto sa darating na eleksyon…
Isang liham ang natanggap mula sa Sky Cable. Ang nakasulat sa labas ng malaking sobreng kulay pula, “Sky Cable gives you More Channels, Features, Choices.” Natuwa ako. Binasa ang sulat. Isang anunsyo at babala pala. Nabwisit ako. Ayon sa liham, “Please be advised that starting June 2009, we will implement an adjustment on your monthly subscription fees.” Nalungkot ako. Lintek na korporasyong ito. Ang hirap na nga ng buhay, pahihirapan pa akong lalo. Mula sa mga dating Php580 at Php635 kada buwan, na naging Php680 nito lamang mga nakaraang buwan, ngayon ay Php780 na ang babayaran ko! Pusang gala…
Heto raw ang isang option para sa mga subscribers: Sky Cable Select Starter. Pumili lamang ng mga channels na gusto at madalas mong panoorin sa bahay, simula Php280 lamang bawat buwan. Okay sana. Kaya lang mautak ang kumpanya. ‘Yung mga walang kuwentang channel, ‘yun siyempre ang mura. ‘Yung madalas mong pinanonood, ‘yun siyempre ang mahal. Halimbawa, Star Movies Php100, Cine+Serye Php299, HBO Php350! Pucha naman. Idagdag mo pa ang Basketball TV Php100 at ESPN & Star Sports Php150. Mahusay ang marketing. Wala nga namang kawala ang mga manonood. Oo nga naman, para makatipid eh di mag-Sky Cable Silver na lang tayo ulit na Php780 lang nga naman kada buwan. Mga pantas at paham…
Ewan ko ha, pero palagay ko para makamura ako, tanggalin na lamang kaya nila ang mga channels na ito: Arirang, NHK World, Saudi 1, Deutschewelle, Voice of America, GXTV, CEC, at maraming pang ibang hindi ko naman maintindihan madalas ang mga palabas. Linsyak. Ang lupit ng isang globalisado at kapitalistang mundo…
A good ol’ friend quipped, “Jerome, ikaw na lang ang gumagamit ng friendster ngayon.” I retorted, “Ah ganun? Okay lang. Wala namang nagbabasa ng mga sinusulat ko sa blog eh.”
Made me think twice to post this simple exchange here. That’s all.
Ingatan ang mga alagang aso’t pusa. Iwasan silang matapakan. Sa katunayan, huwag na huwag silang tatapakan. Dahil sa kagat o kalmot, pihado may paglalagyan ang bulsa mo. Walang duda cute sila sa malapitan at maging sa malayuan; pero pag kinagat o kinalmot ka na, hindi mo na maiisip ito. Magdidilim na lang ang mga paningin mo at iisipin mo na lang na mga hayop nga sila.
Malaking kita talaga para sa mga industriyang gumagawa ng mga gamot at panturok. Siyet, ang sakit ng braso ko…
At last, my part in this year’s teacher training is over. It’s been more than two grueling weeks of seemingly endless day-by-day lectures and tormenting powerpoint preparations. More often than not, these things just sap our energy. But of course, special thanks goes to my usual partner-in-crime and dear colleague for saving my ass most of the time. I owe you big time, really. Thank you, thank you.
At last, I think I can now have my much needed rest. Eversince the end of the second semester, I never tasted any. And yes, I can now put some sanity in my simple abode. I can now arrange and rearrange most of my stuffs which are now in a state of anarchy. And finally, while relaxing, I can now do some of these things which are now in a state of urgency: (1) begin writing an article about the Philippine judiciary, (2) begin revising an old elementary textbook, and (3) begin checking the tons of reaction papers and activities done and submitted by our beloved teachers/trainees. Finally, I can now do all these things while I’m taking my break.
As teachers, we teach. As students, you study. That’s basically it. If teachers engage in power relations in order to get something from a student, that’s plain opportunism. In UP, it’s a jungle out here. Once you enter this labyrinth, you are all by yourself. You just have to be wary of other souls that you meet along the way. You might see them as charming and pleasing; but deception is another way of looking at these qualities. You just have to be wise and perceptive. Remember that sometimes other people see you differently from the way you want them to see you. Enough said.
