Pictures...Pictures...Pictures...

I want to make things be left as memories and use other things in other ways. Leaving some things as a way of gaining more...

These bulk of papers were just some of the many that greet me every time I go home. The picture above would remind every one of us to take every semester seriously. Really, seriously. Until now, I'm not yet finished with this (laughs). More weeks to go.

A little carbo is needed to avoid brain drain.

This is the mug, i got as a prized for answering just one question at school. I prefer drinking tea to keep me alive and awake. Behind is the computer area, the most "abused" area, where all of the data, assignments, projects, exploration and matters of all sorts are done, finished and put to end.

My bag is usually filled with these things. A notebook, ballpen and some gadget necessary for survival.

Computer Programs

RECOMMENDED COMPUTER PROGRAMS FOR MASS COMMUNICATION / MULTI-MEDIA STUDENTS

VIDEO EDITING

• Adobe Premiere for professional editing, user friendly
• Pinnacle Studio for professional editing
• U-Lead Video Studio Amateur Editing, user friendly
• Nero Editing Amateur Editing

Audio Editing

• Cool Pru Edit
• Sound Forge
• Audacity
• Acid Express

Image Editor

• Adobe Photoshop
• Arcsoft

Note: I have tried all the computer programs above and its proven working. Before installing, just take a look on the terms and conditions to know what program will really suit your needs. All of the aforementioned programs are accessible in the Philippines.

Blogger vs. WordPress

Blogger vs. WordPress (Which is better?)

You decide, You choose.

Blogger

• Smiley Disabled
• Justified Enabled
• For Blogging
• Authors can extremely play with the templates / backgrounds
• One major asset of blogger is the way how the authors can play with the HTML codes. A minimal understanding of codes can let authors manipulate their page into something what they want.
• Video, audio, image compatible
• New on the process of “category program”
• Run by Google

WordPress

• Smiley Enabled
• Justified Enabled
• For blogging
• Authors can easily invite friends. It has its “friendster style” of inviting friends.
• Authors can play with the templates. Wordpress is already on the brink of offering variations of templates.
• Header costumization is easy
• When it comes to HTML editing, it requires a little amount of payment
  
• Limited HTML editing (for free version)
  
• Video, Audio, Image compatible but not as easy as blogger
  
• Established “category” program for easy reading
• Independent entity
• Fast

Manny Pacquiao aka Jose Rizal

This is an edited picture of Manny Pacquiao aka Jose Rizal. Funny, indeed!

SIX PILLARS OF CHARACTER

When I was in college, my professor spoke about the Six Pillars of Character which I want to share with you: Trustworthiness (Be honest. Do not deceive, cheat or steal); Respect (follow the Golden Rule); Responsibility (Persevere: keep on trying! Always do your best. Be accountable for your choices); Fairness (Play by the rules. Do not blame others carelessly); Caring (Be compassionate and show you care. Express gratitude. Help people in need); and Citizenship (Do your share to make your community better. Vote. Obey laws and rules. Protect the environment).

--A question of character
AS A MATTER OF FACT By Sara Soliven De Guzman

ORATION PIECE

Killing Myself

Chelyn Torejas

Diverse people from diverse places have once come to colonize our country. Literatures and pictures stand as a witness of how we endure, struggle and fight that yields forth of what we regard today as history.

At the heart of our country carves an era that manifolds through the regimes of Spanish occupation, Japanese conquistadors, American colonialism onwards to the Birth of World Wars. And the fruit of these all is my unique individuality. I am the child of the west and east combined.

I am a product of so many revolutions. For a time, I was blinded from what is real. For centuries I was enslaved by people of different blood, color and race.

Spanish colonizers use religion as an excuse to earn the hearts of my race. They taught me to embrace poverty as a virtue and exposed me to learn gambling and even cock-fighting.

The blond, tall Americans poisoned our way through education. The whites instilled in me to follow “adversial” communication hitting my country badly. Their tactic of “dividing and rule” has resulted to the regionalistic division we still have today.

The arrival of Japanese has even caused tremendous fears, hardships and pain.

For a time, I have seen the harsh realities filled with chaos, propaganda, hatred, vengeance, wars, hidden agenda, corruption, greed, lust and every devilish deeds. But Lo and behold, a new one has come.

I am killing myself. Killing the old Filipino. Within me, came rushing out the stinking blood of every devilish deeds. My heart has stopped pumping the music of deception. My lungs has totally exhaled every waste I have inside.

I am a new Filipino. I am bound to make a living history beyond a legend and a real history in the making that will continue to unfold through time.

The new revolution has given me true victory, a victory by which I am longing for long and the solution is not through war. This revolution has not been fought in the streets. It will be fought in hearts of men.

I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided. Knowing the present would mean understanding the past.

I am a new Filipino gaining wisdom from the past. Gone is the Filipino Indolence, beholding to erase the crab mentality, further eradicating my colonial mentality.

A new Filipino I am. In my blood runs the infitisimal seed of heroic deeds for the sake of the heavenly and for the benefit of the majority. The seed that drive away the oppressors and the seed that will further cleanse the filthiness of this country.

I will search the unkown. I will continue to dream my dreams wishing upon the stars and will never say never. I will continue to move on, to rise up towards the direction of a glorious tomorrow.

To look on the present onwards the future and to scale how my new country will develop will serve as an inspiration that is worth and is bound to be followed.

What the people today endures, struggles, and fight towards progress will continually mold a state of a new history –a bright history that is enough to urge individuals to continue to endure, struggle and fight for action and be a winner in running the race that is set before us, worthy to be repetitively told and retold. A transparent history free from thwarted truths.

Out of me are the voices of the unheard, the pictures of the unseen, the cries of the deaf and the truth that is ignored. I am but a dream but will stand to prove that this dream is becoming a reality.

I am killing myself. Killing the old Filipino. Killing the old me, building a new identity, erasing the undesirable assimilation from my past, picking the best experience I have before. A new Filipino I am, worthy to behold.

My eyes have been opened and I can see better now. I am a product of bloodshed, A new Filipino --free indeed, dreamer and the inheritor of a fruitful tomorrow. To live is to die. Thus, I am killing myself.

ON WINNING AND LOSING

Sadly, the more awards I reaped, the lesser the number of true friends I kept. Jealousy and envy made sure that I lost all but the few genuine friends who really cared about me, the person. At such a young age, I learned that the top could be a very lonely place indeed.

If you really think about it, only losing can teach us to be truly humble. Only losing can make us reflect on what really matters most to us. And above all, losing builds our character in so many ways that winning can't.

In the end, it's not so much about how much we have won or lost, but how we have performed in this so-called game of life.

-Kathy. Winning and Losing (2007), Salamin.

Partly true, along the way I may stumble and fall but I do not want to get tired of looking on the goal, keep the focus and try hitting it the next time. There’s no retreat only rigid determination, discipline, preparation and of course, prayers.

Yes. I have seen how some of my friends get insecure, jealous and envy over me. It’s too irritating that makes me question If they are my friends why can’t they be happy of the blessings I’m receiving? Maybe their insecurities are filling their hearts in that they are blinded with it hoping to covet what I have. Another factor is that maybe they see you as a threat to their careers. This is the reason why sometimes we feel they are pulling as off.

But no matter what, for as long as I have the Father within in me, for certain, “I WILL NOT BACK OFF.” I WILL CONTINUE THIS GAME. SEE YOU AT THE END OF THE RACE. Good luck everybody. GO, ENDURE AND KEEP RUNNING! MOVE ON, DON’T STOP. As the mantra says, LOVE THE UNLOVABLES. I will really try and continually LOVE THE UNLOVABLES.

RADIO BALLPEN

RADIO, BALLPEN ROLLED INTO ONE

A relative earlier called and told me about the abundance of “simple gadgets” as she relates like the photos above hitting the store shelves in Ireland. High tech ball pens equipped with functional radio costs about Php 300.00.

These gadgets are selling like hotcakes in Ireland and the common buyers? Of course, the Pinoys who are busy filling balik bayan boxes due for the holidays. I am just positively happy to guess that I’ll be getting one. Sounds really great. My hands are itching to have one.

Not really that high tech but at least.

Funny Commercial

This a Philippine commercial for xoom, a company that offers money transfer services. this really gives me a good laugh. Just, funny.

TECHNOLOGY

In 2000 Stardock released DesktopX which gave Windows support for desktop objects. These objects could be used to build entire desktops or exported as mini-applications called "widgets".

STRANGE TECHNOLOGY

BIOMETRIC SUB-SYSTEM QUALIFICATION SYSTEM

The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, Title IV, Section 4011, directs the TSA to issue guidance for use of biometric technology in airport access control systems

"ON TARGET" VIDEO GAME URINAL

Set back into each urinal is a pressure-sensitive display, which activates an interactive game when used. This game includes sounds and images, bringing entertainment value to where you’d least expect. It will most likely will be installed in airports and schools “with the functional purpose of improving hygiene”.

INTELLIGENT SPOON

Connie Cheng and Leonardo Bonanni have developed the world's first "Intelligent Spoon". It's equipped with sensors to measure temperature, acidity, salinity, and viscosity. Download the recorded data to any computer via a cable for furthur processing.

My personal post

NOTHING IMPORTANT IN THIS POST

Comments down here are my personal posts. Topics range from etcetera down to etcera. Skip if you don't want to know the weirdness and the motion my mind is into. I can't stop because ironically ideas are just popping in and i want to scribble it down.

Television

TV as an Escape

Television is a medium widely enjoyed by the majority. It is not only a medium aimed to inform but also to entertain the viewers.

As we look on the stream of Philippine TV today, you yourself can observe that Filipino viewers are bombarded with fantaserye and programs casting imaginary characters swarming TV channels in the prime time slot. ABS-CBN has Pedro Penduko, Kookey, Super Inggo, Super Islaw, Marina, Krystala and Lastikman among others. GMA, on the other hand is widely promoting, Zaido, Super Twins, Encantadia, Darna, Fantasticman and Mulawin among others.

The audience has been enticed to addictively follow the program via the story’s fictional plot and setting. Adding to that is the impact brought about by the magical special effects and colors manipulated and made easy using technology. Imaginary heroes fly and act at the Director’s will. Viewers are given set-ups where they are expose to the smell and feel of what they can see in TV.

With that, you can see that TV is being used as a form of “escape” to what is real. This is a study supported by many theories like Uses and Gratification theory. It states that the medium is used by the viewers to satisfy his different needs including the medium’s “escape function”.

Filipinos as observed, are fiction-lovers, deeply emotional and always longing for a hero-figure. This is the reason why in every Philippine revolution be it in the Spanish, martial law, or present period, Filipinos are always plotting for a “leader” to follow and to look up to. With this, came the skyrocketing popularity of Rizal, Ninoy, Ramos and even Estrada and FPJ among others.

The warm acceptance of the public with this type of program is patterned according to the behavior of Filipinos. The white lady in the balete drive is not real It was just created to create publicity and the following events created history.

What is certain is that, these heroes when worse came to worst will definitely not save and help me neither my country. The warm acceptance of the public with this kind of programs is the main motivation why TV networks are continually producing Fictional series like what we are seeing today.

What is important is for the viewers to develop a “discriminating attitude” towards the medium. The viewers should learn how to “decode” or “read” the messages the programs are giving them to make the activity an active one since TV viewing by nature is passive. TV has its “addictive power” in which viewers are underpowered to do other things. This is where the couch potato syndrome takes in.

Amazing Advertisements

AMAZING ADVERTISEMENTS

Look at how advertisements can be utilized by people to project ideas, creativity special effects, coordination, brilliance among the other factors to create an impact. I am giving my two thumbs up for the following advertisements. Very cool, indeed. Bravo! Please don’t miss watching this. It’s beautiful.

Samsung is a Korean company. The 1,152 dancers for that video are mostly Koreans.

Sony is a Japanese company. It has used up to 70,000 liters of friendly-paints, 622 bottle bombs, 330 meters of steel pipes, 450 mortars, 57 kilometers of copper wire, 1,700 detonators prepared by more than 200 people.

Both productions from Samsung and Sony are obviously, highly-budgeted conceptualized by experts and has taken too much time and effort before it was totally released.

SONY



SAMSUNG

NEWS

BACOLOD: still the most business-friendly city

For two consecutive years now, Bacolod, the “city of smiles” still reigns as the “most business-friendly city” as vested by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI).

With this accolade, Evelio Leonardia, the City Mayor, is expecting to make the city an investment destination drawing both foreign and local investments.

The city’s dramatic growth has been attributed by the city’s efficient tax collection and thriving malls and other business outsourcing units in Bacolod generating income and job opportunities, Leonardia added.

Fashion?

In or out?


Keyboard for the nature lovers



Topless table

designer Diana Halbeisen

The Tighty Whitey Bag that looks like Men's brief. (source: Jessica Zafra)

Funny

Physician Diagnoses

The following quotes were taken from actual medical records as dictated by physicians:

By the time he was admitted, his rapid heart had stopped, and he was feeling better.

Patient was released to outpatient department without dressing.

Healthy appearing decrepit 69 year-old male, mentally alert but forgetful.

She slipped on the ice and apparently her legs went in separate directions in early December.

Between you and me, we ought to be able to get this lady pregnant.

The skin was moist and dry.

Patient was alert and unresponsive.

Mind-Boggling

WHACKIEST Newspaper Headlines

Include Your Children when Baking Cookies Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says Drunk Gets Nine Months in Violin Case Survivor of Siamese Twins Joins Parents Iraqi Head Seeks Arms Prostitutes Appeal to Pope Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over Lung Cancer in Women Mushrooms Eye Drops Off Shelf Teacher Strikes Idle Kids Enraged Cow Injures Farmer With Axe Miners Refuse to Work after Death Stolen Painting Found by Tree Killer Sentenced to Die for Second Time in 10 Years War Dims Hope for Peace If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last a While Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures Deer Kill 17,000 Enfields Couple Slain; Police Suspect Homicide Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead Man Struck By Lightning Faces Battery Charge New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft Kids Make Nutritious Snacks Chef Throws His Heart into Helping Feed Needy Arson Suspect Held in Massachusetts Fire Ban on Soliciting Dead in Trotwood Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors

Source

FIREWORKS!

They dance into the air. You can see them glittering, shimmering, splendid in full various colors. Their presence signals the upcoming festivity. They come with pixie dust adding magic in your eyes, warming your heart, boosting your imagination. It’s a whole new world under the unbelievable star whacking my craziness overwhelmed by the smoke, I mean by the colors of the wind brought about by FIREWORKS!

I can’t help it, but what can I say but Woooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!!!!! Enormous!

This post is dedicated for the upcoming Christmas and New Year celebrations. I compiled some of the best firework shows downloaded in the unknown dimension of cyberspace.

Clap your hands and say hooorayyy!!! Cheers everyone!

HONGKONG DISNEYLAND

LONDON NEW YEAR FESTIVAL




SWISS NATIONAL DAY




OHIO

FREE GAMES

Tired? Play online games for free. Click any of the following. Have fun playing.

SUPER MARIO
SUPER MARIO II
STAR ISLAND CUTE
ULTRA BLOCKS
DRESS UP
TETRIS
GOLD MINER
SEA JEWEL
SNACK ATTACK
SLAP THE NERDS
BUBBLE PUZZLES
BUBBLES
DEAL OR NO DEAL
HANGMAN
HANGARO
JEWELS
REEVE LANDER
EGGS IN POT
FAIRY DRESS UP
MONKEYS
SCRAPE
SCHOOL INVADERS
CONSTRUCTION WORKER
BASKETBALL
PINGPONG
PYROMASTERS
BURGERTIME
BOREALIS
RED BEARD
HONEY TROUBLE

Celebrate... REjoice...

STILL BREATHING

It is defeaning how my professor reminds me that my course is "CELEBRAL". She doesn't care about the other sidetrack extra talents. What she cares is my brain.

This semester is very tough. Deadlines after deadlines are hounding me. There are so many reasons to give up, so many reasons to shift to other course, there are just so many abilis I can see for me not to finish my studies. But I can not disregard the numerous reasons I can see to continue moving forward.

A thousand pieces of bond paper is not enough for this semester. This is the only semester which made me sick. Making it to the deadline means an exchange from a good night sleep and burning both ends of the candle. It seems that my body clock is confused. I already don’t know what is the right time to sleep.

What a miracle! I am sitting here writing my victory giving back the praise to the Father for the wonderful semester. He sustained me all throughout. Surely, I’ll miss this school. It molded me to who I am today. It had opened my eyes. I can see better now. I learned more and I recognize that there is just so much to learn. My heart can not contain the joy, seriously. The road was really bumpy, it had shaken me physically but the faith is there and what is important is that you did not lose hope. There are a lot of distractions but you immediately try to keep focus again.

It’s a miracle how I survive. Praise to the highest, I am still alive. I am still breathing. All throughout the lonely cold evening when I was hurrying to meet deadlines, these are some of the music that comforts me. I just included the others for me to listen to them. The playlist accompanied me and it did not stop from playing over and over again.

The glory belongs to Him. You can make a cake, eat it, indulge! Cheers!

EVALUATE YOURSELF

SLEEP TEST

“Sleep Profiler” a sleep test sponsored by BBC analyzes your sleeping habits. After answering the e-questionnaire, it gives you your profile summary in percent. It further gives its interpretation about your body and health, environment and your lifestyle. Try it click this one--SLEEP TEST (BBC)

STOP CHILD ABUSE

A picture speaks thousands of words. A video speaks even more. Watch the video and see how TV as a medium can be used to convey information. Enjoy watching it.

Interesting

MEN FEAR WOMEN MOST

A study polled by La Salle found out that MEN’S WORST FEAR are WOMEN! TV messages are bombarded by Nagging mothers, Mananggal, Mangkukulam and Crazy girlfriends among others. The author said that if we will study media trend, you will be amazed to know that most of the ghosts and monsters you see in TV are women.

Further, it stressed the capabilities of women to expose the dirtiest secrets of men—a reason why women are perceived to be terrifying figures.

Ladies and gentlemen let us live in harmony. You are bound to complement instead of competing with the other. Peace everybody. Ceasefire! Happy Halloween! Trick or Treat?

(source:C. Gutierrez)

Literary Criticism

The title partly suggests what the story is all about. This story is narrated using the first-person point of view.

This is an opinionated account. The author was trying to assert his understandings and rebut statements using examples. This further shows what man can benefit through traveling and how traveling has opened his eyes about the assertions that he is raising.

In general, this is an opinionated account of what the author has observed and learned in his travels. Other assertions show the author’s interpretation of different matters. H e further justified his assertions by giving explanations and examples.

The author is showing the positive side of traveling. It further affirms that traveling can advance once knowledge. He stressed that travelers will not be tempted to cling to his own standards. It further illuminates the capacity of travelers of quick adaptation “not blindy and not uncritically”. Readers may spot how the author has tried to use comparisons as a way to point out his assertions.

All throughout the story, readers may see the open-mindedness of Huxley through his assertions. Readers may find some of his assertions liberal narrated. His assertions are about travel as another way of obtaining knowledge. Sometimes it sounds illusionary. He is trying to attain a utopian assumption as cited in this lines, “The traveler will observe these various distortions and will create for himself a standard that shall be, as far as possible, free from them—a standard of values that shall be as timeless as uncontinent on circumstances, as nearly absolute as he can make them”.

The author asserts that “Conviction and certainties are too often the concomitants of ignorance. He further asserts that the fruit of knowledge and experience is generally doubt. It is doubt that grows profounder as knowledge more deeply burrows into the underlying mystery…” I can see truth in this contention. It is somehow a fulfillment of the adage that says the greater we know the greater we realize that there is so much to learn. The intellectuals don’t settle for what is settled. It also means that to understand doesn’t mean to approve. He further said that “The better you understand the significance of any question, the more difficult it becomes to answer it”.

The author justified his assertions by comparing the answers of different people ranging from an ignorant man, working electrician and the philosophical physicist.

This story subtly shows the narrator’s disappointment. The narrator stressed that he set on his travels knowing that he knew, how men live, how be governed, how educated and what they should believe. He takes pride in his views on any activity of human life. With this, the narrator pictured himself as a wise man.

His failure was illuminated in these lines, “I find myself with out any of this pleasing certainties, and “My own losses… were numerous”.

He emphasized that his failure led him to earn two new convictions. One is that it takes all sorts to make a world and the other is that the established spiritual values are fundamentally correct and should be maintained. A paradox that he calls this ideas “new” yet both are as old as civilization.

Travel

Aldous Huxley

Readers may also spot how the narrator was comparing believing academically and believing scientifically. It is like scientific explanation versus learning through observation and learning. He asserted that experience is the best way to understand the meaning of proverbs. Another assertion is that man’s own opinions, one’s own way of life are alone rational and right.

The author was trying to assert some contrasting matters like travel as a way that brings a conviction of human diversity bringing strong conviction of human unity. The author asserts the variations of religion, moral codes, forms of government and society but oneness underlies this diversity. He further stress that values are everywhere broadly the same.

The narrator strongly stressed that “our standards can be demolished by argumentation; but we are none the less has right to cling to them. Another is his observation of how spirituality and materialism crept into different areas.

WE WILL CHANGE THE WORLD!

HELPING

One rainy evening, I saw myself alone in my room drinking tea. As I was about to sleep, I close my eyes, I gaze into the world fueled by my imagination.

Instantly, I saw the “balut vendor” with her umbrella still roaming in this average subdivision hoping to sell more. I saw children shivering. I saw the homeless seeking refuge on open waiting sheds. I saw people coughing and sneezing. I have seen many families happily feasting with rice, dried fish and nothing more. I have seen jeepney drivers, roaming around the city striving to earn more. I have seen street children peacefully sleeping on rags.

Then, back to reality, I have seen the necessity of helping others. While I am enjoying everything I have from simple up to the complex matters even just the roof under my head, others are just around the corner waiting for help. It is so funny that, I can not see regret in this people. They smile even up to the extreme level of depression. No wonder, why we were regarded as one of the happiest people in the world.

In this yuletide season, may we help the unfortunate. May we share the blessings that we have. May we give the excess things we have at home.

Old clothing, toys and books can make a difference. A loose change or donations can do.

The world needs a change and we can change it. A simple proper waste management can minimize if not stop global warming. It can be a way of giving back what is due to our mother nature.

Get a life! Plant hope. Those who are not hoping are already lost in this game.

Really, we can change the world!

These are some of the pictures, I took by myself.

BARE NAKED. A toddler in his bare birthday suit seems accustomed and comfortable to what his parents regard as his usual day. Rising child welfare advocates aims to extend help to children like him who often spend time in dirty streets playing naked with a little access to clean water, nutritious food and other basic necessities.

SWEATING IT OUT. Since vacation time, Jomar and Lino used to enjoy working and playing together mostly in dirty slums unearthing things out from everybody’s garbage barefooted and using their bare hands as a way of earning money to buy school supplies for the in coming school year.

IN HIS EYES. The contents of his pockets are often left emptied. This boy, always doubtful for his meal, resorts to digging thrash and quitting school as an assurance.

THRASH IN EXCHANGE FOR CASH. After an entire day of asking and digging for others’ awful thrash, this lad admits that he is exceptionally fortunate after gathering a bag half-filled of thrash in exchange for just a few coins which is an inconvenient way to survived the day.

YOUNG WORKERS. These boys, who think that going to school is just a mere wish, spend their time collecting bottles, plastics, old newspapers and scrap iron as a living. Here, a boy is caught up carrying his recent sequestered broken plastic chair.

PURE AND NATURAL. As young as he is, this cheerful boy who considers every street as his home, learns to be happy and contented of what he has no matter how little it is. It’s worth capturing this little boy’s smile, so pure and natural.

RETRO IS BACK!

RETRO… RETURNS with VENGEANCE!

Name

Whatta NAME

In the suburbs of Mindanao, toddlers are commonly called “inday” or “dodong.” Before, I was fondly called by this name. Today, my ears still ring to the sound of it.

When I reached college and transfer to this place, I experienced a slight version of “culture shock”. In the place where I used to live, it is common to hear people conversing via “hard cebuano.” But when I arrived here, OMG! Some of my friends can’t understand some of my lingo. I come to a conclusion that this area has a local tongue of tagalong and cebuano fused.

Months later, thankfully, I learn how to adjust. Years later, I was able to totally adopt the way of living in Mindanao Metropolis.

Time made me a Big sister to my nieces and nephews. Time is really evolving. These children grow up with royal names. I have a bunch of royalty nieces and nephews. They are Princess Lorraine, Princess Angel, Prince Boyen and Prince Louie. May they grow up willing to share the royalty and wealth they have with the underprivileged and may they grow up with rich grey matters and eventually use it with aptness.

It gives me a chuckle to bring into mind an article I recently browsed. It is about funny names which Filipinos disregards. To the mommies-soon-to-be please you can spare your children from those.

To take as examples are the respected names of the Philippine Senator “Joker”, and famous actor “DingDong”.

As I contemplate, I remember some people and even classmates with Surnames like Duhay-Lungsod (Two Mountains). We even jokingly call our High School Teacher “Spotted” as substitute for his surname, “Cabang”.

I have mice before which my sister and I named after Twidle dee and Twidle dum from Alice in Wonderland. Considering that it is too long, all of us end up calling them dee-dee and dum-dum.

Is there really something in a name?

Since my world began up to my high school days, I really taught that I don’t share a common name with other people. Unfortunately, through the internet, I was awaken to the reality I don’t have a rare name. A number of Caucasian people who are mostly older than me have personal sites of their own. Uh-oh…

Arts

THE ART of ARTS

Pictures are now the newest words! Earlier I have browse in the internet a site from a renowned photographer. It gives me a high. I can not appreciate black and white pictures until I came across another famous artist posing straight from Paris. The elegance and beauty of black and white is exuding, really. There is no white if there is no black and vice versa. It is like an art wrapped with spectacle and a dash of magic.

Another artistic form of expression is through video. Videos are frames of thousands of pictures. Earlier, I watch a movie presentation about “The Faces of the Earth” created by Globe trekker. I really enjoyed seeing the various faces of the earth. The world is really so beautiful.

It gives me a high. I am so blessed. The eyes of these people are spectacular. A lot of videos about the world, people and almost anything paint a smile on my face. I am overjoyed that I can not express my feelings. I don’t know. Right know, while I am scribbling words on this e-paper, my mind is dreaming of making one. That is the art of dreaming big. Dreams are for free and I am just availing it.

Philipine Education

Education

The term “libertad” became the cry of Filipinos under the Spanish regime. Rizal did shed his blood to covet liberty. Unlike, Bonifacio he did it the other way. If Bonifacio wants to solve it through bloodshed, Rizal fought through Education.

Education is widely treasured in the Philippines. It seems that good opportunities only land to those who have good education. In this country, academic learning does not come cheap. Public schools are not always for free. Unfortunately, parents have to pay miscellaneous fees and have to sustain their children with “baon”. This is just a small matter, but unfortunately a lot simply can’t afford it. The wages the parents are earning are just enough for daily living. It is depressing but factual. This is a probable reason why a number of social groups are sprouting offering help with the unfortunate. Thankfully, a number seems to like being a “Santa Claus” to needy. It gives me a smile.

What Filipinos should know is to erase the notion that “Poverty is a virtue”. Poverty is a curse. It should be counteracted. Laziness can be a possible cause for it.

I and my cousins are bombarded about how education can help us as raised by my parents, relatives and even our Lola. At an early age, the importance of education retained in my mind.

Subtly, I have seen how we dream of a good education. The sojourns of my older cousins for good education land them to far places, away from the comforts of home. I never taught about this, I just want to learn, as simple and plain as that. Now, that I am in college, I have seen how studying abroad can be an edge to an individual. But of course, good education doesn’t come cheap. We have to pay the price.

Common Advice by Various People

Mother: Read. Read. Read

Uncle, Dr. Regidor: Just Read

English, High School teacher: Read Time Magazine

College Teacher: I am happy to know that you are reading

Now, I understand how this works. It has helped me. Really! This advice would be the same reason I will love to give to my nieces, nephews and friends. I have a lot to say about this, but I am running out of time. Until next time, promise!