mid-20s life crises

lady protests

i was in the Cagayan de Oro Hall of Jutice last Thursday and I chanced upon a bunch of women protesting about women-related rights. What surprised me is that they werent that many. And that's sad. I think we of the female population should be participative in this sort of affairs. I think the protest rally lacked creativity. But then again that's just me. Good thing I brought my dad's camera phone and so I was able to take snap shots of it.

lomokono

i love photography. i just love the act of taking shots, of being behind the camera... maybe because i'm not much of the photogenic type...but anyway...the thing is a i love taking pictures and the irony is i dont even have a camera. i just borrow my father's camera phone. a motorola L6 and make the best out of it. then i bumped into this lomomania thing and i think its nice but very prohibitive. so what do i do? I take shots with my borrowed moto and edit it later in photoshop. i like the stuff i did. i only learned to photoshop after seeing all those beautiful lomo shots. Hurrah for photoshop! so what to call this frenzy? LOMOKONO: the movement of trying to "lomofy" photos using a photo editing tool like photoshop or gimp... here are my sample photos.

Initao National Park

Initao National Park is a patch of wooded land in our small town. Probably the only reason it remained is because of people's fear for the unseen. People think beings from the unseen dimension inhabit the place. That helped the place from getting totally wiped out. Some towering trees are alive and majestically lording over the place. Being in the park makes you feel in another place, but only for a few second though. Not soon after you pay the entrance fee you will be greeted by trash like snack wrappers on the ground, walk to your left path and you'll see the huge part of an old tree's roots chopped off to make way for the concrete path built in place to make walking comfortable perhaps or to make visitors go around the park in their cars without having to step down and take a walk. Which is stuped. Then the garbage pit...its a big hole dug where the old school building used to be. You can see loads of non-biodegradable garbage dumped in there. Not a good sight for a park. Then there's the termite infistation. They need adrress that problem. I heard they are pouring millions into the project... the money can go a long way if used properly and honestly.

The government should think seriously about their plans and aims for the place. If they seriously thinking about preservation and education then they are really off track, if they are in it for they money, then at least make it look like they mean it.

The solution is to set up a foundation like that in the case of New York's Central Park where in they made a great work and preserved the whole place. Now its in place never touched by the long, udly arm of industrialization. This is where the "if i were i millionare..." essay comes in...

I'm thankful and glad that the place managed to survive but looking at how they are handling the place i'm not sure if it's gonna hold long. We need more than setting up a place and charging one hundred fifty pesos... we need far more than that.

the mantra

Teaching is tough business

i'm currently tutoring a middle-aged woman to speak English. She is classified as a "false beginner" meanings she's have had English instructions before she just wasnt listening. I think teaching "Real Beginners" is much much easier. Now i'm going crazy about what to do with the lesson but I'm praying for Devine Guidance...it's that tough!

Or maybe i'm just saying this because this is my first time. But i don't want to be mediocre at it I really want her to learn and so she can be confident and independent when she goes to Sweden!

*sigh* I don't want to be a lousy teacher. I'd break if she wont make any progress. But I think I'm being tough on myself. This morning was the first session we had. I walked her through the basics, no hard stuff. I mean I got the lessons online and custom-fitted it for her. I used illustrations and all. It used to be that I was so good at making the most clueless person get an idea about what is being discussed. My classmates in college seek me out when they had tough time understanding something. I haven't been in that route for like a couple of years after college so this situation right now is also something of a help to me. I am also learning along the way. I never expected teaching to be easy but still...

"The anticipation of pain is more painful than pain itself."

TEN: The Evening News-the coolest news program on Philippine free tv

If you're tired of the usual crappy, cheap sensationalist style of news shows the big 2 (abs-cbn and gma) churn out every day then just change the channel dude and go to TV5 evening news. They're the coolest.
i love the fact that they only tackle the news that really matters...i mean dude who cares if some jobless asses slugged it out in some dirty street in manila? i don't! And neither do I care about some local showbiz starlet crying on the national tv for a bid of some free publicity! i thought the local free tv channels are hopeless. i was wrong.
Just the top ten news that matters every night, no cheap, tabloidish content. the anchors are cool and intelligent. the segments are hot and really matters. i mean where on free tv world in the philippines can you see Lourd de Vera dishing out some words on political street tarps that makes you bob your head in agreement just like the way you would with his music? Only on TEN at TV5!
Two thumbs up to all the people who are behind this news show. Keep being intelligent you guys.

PDI, PHILSTAR, MB listen up!!!

i wanna be a newspaper columnist...i mean i seem to love the challenge of writing things that are relevant. i believe i can bring something to the table that will illicit some reaction from readers in ways that it will affect them and touch them the way written letters does. I've been fascinated with the written word long before i learned to read and write. i remember wanting to learn to read because i was curios as to why my father get so absorbed in a book with no pictures, only black letters in thick pages. i didn't finish any course related to writing but i am passionate about it. i write when i can and take joys in it. i was very ecstatic when my submission to Philippine Daily Inquirer, my first ever, was printed. it was like WOW! i didn't have any confidence in my writing capabilities until i actually saw the piece on the Daily. I wish my dream will be fulfilled one of these days. i'm thinking about applying for a position in Philstar, PDI or whereever as long as i write. i'd be living in paradise if that happens.

out and about...

I'm aching for another trip..another journey to somewhere. currently i'm stuck in my cousins' crib... can't do anything else other than get out to write or read. I go to the mall to be afforded that luxury. i miss my brothers but i'm determined to strike it on my own now.
i dont have money but i am determined to go to Malaybalay City for the Kaamulan Festival this March which is not that near yet. i will really go there even if i don't have extra money...gotta get me a camera...and then there's the planned Bohol escapade, this time with my barkadas... i'm getting a life...

My Brother's Project

Capé Estiban's

According to Wikipedia.org Initao is a highly urbanized town. Its residents are very updated with the latest trends in technology, fashion and wellness. To relax and unwind locals can go to Internet cafés, restaurants and well known beach resorts in its fringes. However, with the proliferation of these establishments none caters to those who just wants to sit, relax and unwind without having to plan it before hand. As one may have noticed no establishment, particularly in the town center, that has first class amenities like a decent coffee shop. This study aims to address that concern.

Capé Estiban's is a coffee shop envisioned to be the answer. The name is picked because of its exotic and yet classy appeal. The name is inspired by a local corn coffee brand slightly tweaked to refine the name. It has the distinct feel of being a local brand that can also be at par with international brands like Starbucks or Bo's Coffee shop. The name itself will not just be a name but a brand. The goal is to have a place where not only Initaonons can hang out in but can also be very proud of.

The coffee shop will be located prominently and strategically in the town center of Initao, by the National Highway so locals and travelers alike can easily spot it. The proposed space is the property across the National Highway from the Initao Rural Bank and Valley Bank. The space itself is peaceful and distant from busy residential areas and the nearby banks lend an air of professionalism. The place will have ample parking space, classy, chick yet practical structure and interiors, well-edited and updated menu, professionally trained staff and management, Wi-Fi and information assistance regarding the town itself. Capé Estiban's will serve and popularize the humble “mais kapi” or corn coffee and elevate it to a classy drink with strong following, it will also serve other coffee variety, freshly baked and delicious breads and pastries and other fairs. The place will be a place where people can talk business or leisure over a steaming pot of coffee and a plate of bread, surf the net through Wi-Fi, or just be with friends or family or alone on any given time that the shop is open. Capé Estiban's will be an establishment and a brand associated with excellent service and great experience.

I swear i'll be a damn good teacher!!!

we were swore in yesterday, Sunday December 14, 2008, at Capitol University gym as professional teachers for passing the board exam last September 2008. I think I overdressed for the situation...i envisioned a cross between sex and the city and a korean fashion outcome...the outcome turned out to be me...just damn awkward at wearing a full skirt and an unmade hair. i was suppose to bring out a rock chic style but i failed mesirably...but its ok. i'm used to messing up anything...hehehe anyway after the occasion i just changed clothes...i'll try again next time...im gonna don that dress again and with a bang! I gotta learn some tricks to be a girl...

anyway the occasion was "ok"... i thought it wasnt gonna take long. Damn, i paid almost 1,500 pesos for the whole thing and all we got for entertainment was a dance number from PRC Cagayan de Oro's long-faced and quite unapprochable staff. Now I wonder where the 250pesos for entrance ticket went. I mean why did they have to go to a private venue when there are public places where it can be done for free! hmmmm...red tape red tape red tape....bad example for the new teachers. there were a lot of board passers in there... they sure did make a bundle or two because the money they charged us, not all were issued official reciepts for. Aside from the 1,050 reflected in the official receipt we were made to pay 250pesos for the ticket to the venue, 21 pesos for the form, another 21pesos for the documentary stamp, 75 pesos in the cashier which wasnt stated what it was for, not to mention the 100p charge for the photos. If the government is really serious about fighting corruption they should check on charges like these by one of their branches. Well I complain formally? No idea. I don't think anything good will come out of it anyway.

them talking about doing our jobs seriously and honestly certainly made me smirk just as I did when I watched the stupid dance number. They should've just let us blabber through the oath form and get it over it without much funfare. It would've save us the money and the time.

I'm not saying all these just because i felt bad about my dress during the event. Hehe.

my christmas wishlist

1. a dgcam...a dslr would be awesome but something affordable from canon would be cool.
2. books from esabil allende and neil gaiman and the like
3. trip to somewhere...anywhere
4. chocolates!
5. a cool sewing machine

i dont believe in santa claus or winning the lotto but who knows what might just happen? (i'm betting on nothings-gonna-happen scenario) but anyway its fine with me....

OH WHEN?!!!!

I WANNA GO TO JAPAN AND LIVE IN THE LAND OF COOL AND KAWAI CRAFTING!!!!