Life is a Guitar

Doing nothing as I waited for my students to practice the Jazz Chant they would perform for the National Press Conference 2012 plenary session this afternoon, I decided to explore Adobe photoshop. I think I did a good job exploring and made a good output. Here it is:

Honestly,I did not think much of what quote should I write on it. And now I have the time to take a good look at my magnum opus, I find myself in deep reflection. One question pop in my mind.


Is my life now in tune or not?


My answer is no.

Another question rose in my mind.

How long will my music be out of tune?

I do not have the answer. It is up to the master Guitarist. One thing is certain, though. That all guitarist including Him wants to make good music. I know He will soon fix the strings of my guitar.

A Teacher's Valentine's Day

My life, since I have become a teacher, has been full of surprises.  Each day has always been full of discoveries - discoveries about my students and about myself also. Last Valentine's Day was no exemption. I just went to school without expecting anything special to happen because I didn't have any special someone at all. I wasn't also expecting any gift from students since I am not an adviser. (It was usually the advisers who receive gifts from students when there is an occasion.) I  am also not a popular teacher. I was just hired by the school this school year, so it goes to show the closeness I have today with my students is incomparable with the years of closeness with their old-time teachers.

So there the day went on. Nothing extraordinary happened.  In the evening, during the JS Promenade, the night also just passed without something special happening.

The next day came.While,everyone(except me) in the Faculty room were excitingly browsing and uploading their pictures in Facebook and I sat on my table making a lesson plan, a girl student of mine from my English-First Year class went straight to my table. She was holding in her hands a Heart stuff with a very small stuff toy and a card that says "HAPPY VALENTINES DAY MA'AM PABLICO". I was so happy because it was unexpected. I told her "THANK YOU!", but she said it wasn't from her and left. I looked at the card and saw the name of the giver. It was from my most hyperactive student "Howard". I smiled.

 Howard is one of those students who always test my patience. He is the one to whom I always say "Keep Quiet" or "Stay on your sit." or "I am getting impatient already so stop". Before that day, I have this thought that he, perhaps, hated me a lot already, but as I have said the life of a teacher is full of surprises and discoveries. And on that day I learned that Howard does not hate me despite the fact that I always reprimand him and that he understands why I am always mad at him. 

You may say that I am so shallow for being so sentimental about this, but you see it is my first valentine gift from a student and the student who gave me the gift made it extra-special. It was so special that I even posted this pic on facebook with a note that says "Of all the people...ang batang lagi ko pang pinapagalitan ang magbibigay ng valentine stuff sa akin...:).."(Of all the people I know, I never thought that the student, to whom I am always mad at will be the one to give me a valentine stuff):

The post got lots of comments.

Romantic Quotes from Movies

It's love month! I can't help myself from writing a "hearty"article,but I've never been really in love with real person.Yet, I always fell in love with fictional characters in movies.Sometimes, those characters even make me wish like they were for real and sometimes make me pray that I will meet someone like them someday. I think the experience wasn't unique. I know you sometimes feel the same also.Remember when every girls in the world wished to be bitten by a vampire? That was when Edward became alive in movie screen.The guys would even borrow Edward's swooning  lines in the movie. 


Speaking of swooning lines, here are some of the lines from the movies I've watched which made me wish to fall in love instantly.

Our love is like the wind... I  can't see it, but I sure can feel it.-Landon Carter 

       

“Winning that ticket, Rose, was the best thing that ever happened to me… it brought me to you. And I’m thankful for that, Rose. I’m thankful. You must do me this honor, Rose. Promise me you’ll survive. That you won’t give up, no matter what happens, no matter how hopeless. Promise me now, Rose, and never let go of that promise.” – Jack Dawson

So it's not gonna be easy. It's  going to be really hard; we're gonna have to work at this everyday, but I want to do that because I want you. I want all of  you, forever, everyday. You and  me... everyday. -Noah

Look, I guarantee there’ll be tough  times. I guarantee that at  some time, one or both of us is gonna want to get out of  this thing. But I also guarantee that if I don’t ask you to be mine,  I’ll regret it for the rest of my life, because  I know, in my heart, you’re the only one for me. -Maggie and Ike

Sometimes you have to be apart  from the people you love, but that doesn't make you love them any less.Sometimes it makes you love them more.  -Steve Miller

Jenny, I don't know if Momma was right or if, if it's Lieutenant Dan. I don't know if we each have a destiny, or if we're all just floating around accidental-like on a breeze, but I, I think maybe it's both. Maybe both is happening at the same time. -Forrest Gump

Even more, I had never meant to  love him. One thing I truly knew - knew it in the pit of my stomach, in the center of my  bones, knew it from the crown of  my head to the  oles of my feet,  knew it deep in my empty chest - was how love gave someone the  power to break you. I'd been broken beyond repair."- Bella

Evelyn, loving you kept me alive. I should have died over there. When I was in that water, I made a deal with God. I told him I was sorry. I was a fool for leavin’ you and I told him I would never ask for anything again if I could just see you. And you know what? It was worth it. You kept me alive Evelyn, you brought me home. So I’m gonna stand by my end of the deal, I’m gonna walk away. And I won’t ask you for anything.-Rafe

You erased me from your memories because you thought you were holding me back from having a full and happy life. But you made a mistake. Being with you is the only way I could have a full and happy life. You’re the girl of my dreams… and apparently, I’m the man of yours.-Henry

I would rather share one lifetime with you than face all the ages of this world alone.-Arwen

I love that after I spend day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes. And I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. And it’s not because I’m lonely, and it’s not because it’s New Year’s Eve. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.-Harry

Whoa!!Who wouldn't fall in love when you here those catchy lines.

What about you guys?What are your favorite romantic lines from movies?Share it!:-)

Maling Sistema sa DepEd - Ranking Issues

"So, are you running for honors. Do you wanna be a Cum Laude"

 

Ito ang mga salitang narinig ko mula sa bibig  ng aming department head noong ako ay nasa unang taon ng kolehiyo pa lamang. Ano ung Cum Laude? sabi ko sa sarili ko noon. Malay ko ba. Eh hindi ko naman talaga alam 'yon. Wala namang nagsayang ng oras na ipaliwanang sa akin noon bago ako pumasok sa kolehiyo eh.

Hindi ako sumagot. Kumunot lang ang noo ko. Nahalata ng propesor ang aking pagkalito at ipinaliwanag niya kung ano ang ibig sabihin. Matalino naman ako at naintindihan ko kaagad.(haha!yabang ko lang!).Syempre, inisip ko muna kung ano ang aking isasagot. Baka kasi pag sinab kong 'oo' ay isipin niyang ambisyosa ako at 'pag sinabi ko namang 'hindi' eh baka isipin niyang wala akong pagpapahalaga sa pag-aaral, baka babaan pa niya ang grades ko. Pero nung huli sinabi kong "hindi". Kasi nga hindi naman talaga.

Kala ko doon lang iyon nagtapos kasi. Pero hindi pala, kasi nung nagkasabay kami minsan sa pag-uwi sa traysikel ay tinanong niya ak o  ulit. Nanindigan ako sa sagot ko noon. 'Hindi' pa rin ang aking sagot. Parang gusto ko ngang sabihin noon na "Pakialam mo ba ma'am?"Pero syempre, alam kong pambabastos 'yon at ayaw ko rin namang dumating ang araw na karmahin ako at sagutin din ako ng estudyante ko ng ganoon.

Sinabi ni maam kung bakit kailangan kong mag-aral ng mabuti at magtapos ng Cum Laude. Sabi niya marami na daw ngayon ang graduate ng Education pero wala pang trabaho. Mahigpit daw kasi ang sistema ng DepEd sa pagpili. Maliban sa dapat maipasa ang LET,meron ding ranking na tinatawag. Iyong bang iiponin lahat ng credentials ng aplikante tapos 'yong may pinakamataas na puntos siya ang unang makakakuha ng trabaho.Kailangan marami kang sertipiko at mataas ang grado kung gusto mo makaungos sa iba at mag-rank 1.Naintindihan ko naman ang punto ni ma'am.Kaya simula noon nagsunog na ako ng kilay.Marami din akong hinigop na kape.Rebyu.Rebyu.Rebyu....Aral.Aral.Aral. Puyat.Puyat.Puyat.Sali sa org. na 'yon.Sali dito.Hayyy..nakakapagod.

Marami rin naman akong naipon na sertipiko.Nagtapos din akong cum laude. Dumating ang araw ng pagpaparanking. Panlima ako. Hindi na masama. Kasi 'yong rank 1 hanggang 4 sila, matagal nang grumadweyt. Mga 6 to 15 years na sila sa private school.Nakapsok naman ako sa DepEd. Masaya ako. Pero hindi pa naman ako sinuswelduhan ng national government. Local School Board o iyong siyudad pa lang ang nagpapasweldo sa akin. Kumbaga hindi pa ako regular.Maliit lang ang sweldo. Delayed pa kung minsan.Pero tiis lang. Maghihintay ako, sabi ko. Tiyaga lang talaga.

Pero eto ang magandang balita...Regular na ang isa kung kakikilala na mababa ang ranking. Tapos iyong rank 1 hanggang ngayon na sa private school pa rin. Hindi pa nabigyan ng trabaho ng DepEd. Saan ka pa? Principal Empowerment daw kasi. Ah, ganoon pala?So si principal ang may kapangyarihan. Kaya pala, iyong pamangkin niya regular na pati 'yong inaanak at kapitbahay niya.Tapos ung ibang  matagal ng gradweyt at cum laude pa, ayon tatambay tambay sa bahay  o di kaya nagpapakahirap sa kakarampot na sweldo bilang LSB. Astig di ba?

Bakit pa nga ba ako nag-aral ng mabuti?Wala rin naman pa lang saysay iyon. Gusto ko ngang balikan si ma'am ko sa college at sisihin siya kung bakit hindi ko masyado neenjoy ang buhay-university ko at kung bakit ko namiss ang mga lakad ng barkada dahil sa kakaaral. Kasalanan niya din kung bakit ako naging sakitin sa kaka=skip ng lunch at breakfast para lang mapass ag mga requirements. Pero hindi ko magawa kasi alam ko tama naman ang mga sinabi niya. Hindi niya naman kasalanan na mali ang sistema ang DepEd.Hindi naman siya ang boss ng DepEd di ba?Di rin naman siya prinsipal.

Sino nga ba dapat ang dapat sisihin dito?AKO siguro...

Hope List

The year has just begun. And I am the happiest person in the world because of that fact.I started the year with changes  in myself, not a drastic change though. I had a haircut!That's it!!It's just my way to remove all the negative vibes I got last year.Like my hair had something to do with my bad luck..LOL! But having new hairstyle for new year seems to give me a fresh start, fresh outlook and fresh feeling. Honestly, I felt like I died last year and I am going to resurrect this year.

Whoops, I think I am loosing track 'cause this entry will not focus in my new look. This will be about my aspirations and goals for this year. I did not entitled it WISH LIST because everybody of us(most especially the English teachers) know that we use "wish" when we ask for things that are impossible to happen.  Hope, on the otherwise, is use when what you ask for is more likely to happen. I believe I'll manage to realize all of my aspirations and hope this year. With God's help, of course!:)

This are my hopes for this year:

1.Go oversees... I want to go abroad for a vacation, but it will be really great if I'd go there to study. I hope someone will offer me a scholarship.I'd surely grab it!

2. Travel... Almost the same with my first hope...but this more of traveling within the boundary of my country and that is Philippines. This year, I want to go to Boracay, Davao, Bohol or Cebu City.It will be better if I'd  travel with my family.

3.Ipad... I want it badly!!!but my salary is just enough to be spent for my basic needs.

4. DSLR CAMERA...to capture my worth-keeping memories of my life. I love pictures really 'cause I'm really a visual person.

5. Be regular public school teacher...You know, I'm not totally hired yet.

6. HEALTH...no explanations needed.  :p

7.Become a writer... I'll write two novels this year and publish it in wattpad.com

8. Learn to Bake...

9. Learn Korean or Japanese... I plan to enroll to one free Korean/Japanese Language and culture lessons offered by TESDA. 

10. 8,000 views... for this blog of mine.

11.50,000... that's the amount of money I want to have in my saving's account this year. It's for security reason. Like when you needed money in case of emergency. I know how small my salary is but there's is no harm in hoping.I'd just probably to be stingy three-times than I am today or be regular a regular teacher so to have higher salary.

12. ZIP LINE... I want to try it. I think it will be really exciting. We have lots of it here in Puerto Princesa. I tried one but I want to try the higher one.

It's not too much right?

HAPPY 2012 everyone.:)