Archive for December, 2007
The 20-Peso-Gift-in-20-Minutes Christmas Challenge
WE HAD a little fun a few minutes past midnight last weekend at the flea market in GenSan’s Paskuhan Festival. All six of us, physics majors, decided to have a Christmas challenge where in 20 minutes?we had to buy gifts that only cost?20 pesos. The gift had to have a special meaning?to the recipient.
It was 12:08 on my watch when we started looking around and thinking what meanigful item I should buy. Luckily, there was a stall that sells items at only ten pesos but I found nothing interesting.
Time was ticking but I still haven’t found anything for one of my friends. It was difficult to find good stuff at?20 pesos. I had to weigh all the factors until I found to objects in my hand at 12:24 am.
We exchanged our gifts at?a convenience store nearby. With some cans of beer to set the mood we went on describing our gifts. I received a talking, er, barking miniature Santa from Marcie, which she says was a thing that reminds her of me. I?bought a stapler and shoe-shine kit to (metaphorically) strengthen our bond and to make our inner selves shine. Corny.
I will be missing crazy moments like this because it would be long?until we see each other again.
This picture was taken a day after our board exam.
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Bad News, Good News 2
Posted by Ayel in Current Events, People, Personal, Teaching on December 18th, 2007
ANOTHER BAD news:
Marcie loses her wallet
Primary suspect: fellow LET passer
STILL PISSED?off with PRC, we decided to take our lunch after the chaos called Oathtaking Cermonies of Professional Teachers?last Saturday.
Just before we ordered, we realized that Marcie’s bag was missing. Not so long after, my friend and fellow physics major decided that she had left at the venue, so off she went with Ian.
She was crying when she answered my call, “I saw my bag but my wallet is missing.” She added that the bag was already open when she found it still perched on the chair she occupied several hours ago.
We were sure that a group of our fellow LET passers were standing near the place where the bag found when we left for lunch. Most likely, one of them might have been lured by the contents of the bag. How lucky?that person?was because Marcie had just widthrawn from her bank!
What Marcie was worrying actually were the IDs and the ATM cards. Imagine the hassle she would have to go through to?procure replacements.
What I was worrying about is this: if the one who kept the wallet is a teacher, what values would he/she teach his/her students?
?A BIT of good news:
Marcie’s wallet found
But the cash was gone
I’M SORRY for her. It was such an unlucky day. Blame it to PRC. Haha.
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Bad News, Good News 1
Posted by Ayel in Current Events, Personal, Teaching on December 15th, 2007
BAD NEWS first:
PRC spoils my day
FOR THE nth time now, the staff of the (un)Professional Regulatory Board Regulation Commision pissed me off. This time, it happened during the Oathtaking Ceremonies pulled off for new professional teachers at the Notre Dame of Dadiangas University.
For entrants into the world of work, the day of making a promise to abide by the laws and to do?their duties well must be inspiring and worth remembering. But in our case, it is one dreadful experience.
The process of filing for a license, which was held at a public school in General Santos City, was very chaotic:
1. There was no proper infomation system; no instructions or flow charts to guide the applicants. The applicants who came while the registration process was going on ended up asking those who have gone through the process. But of course, they wouldn’t tell you about how the forms were to be filled out.
2. What we heard instead?were the unnecessary raising of voices, not to mention insults, that the PRC staff afforded the poor, uninformed applicants. I believe that shouting at an applicant who was told what to do is an act of disrespect. I believe that if only we are properly guided, we wouldn’t not neet further assistance from the staff at the table, which would mean lesser effort on their part. Thus, their energies would be saved until the last applicant for they day completes the process. But with the intermittent flare of emotions, the staff would be tired to?serve the next applicant in line. In activities like this, having a good skill in dealing with people is very important. Apparently the staff sent by the PRC lacked in that aspect.
3. Positioning of the tables in the small area was very prone to overcrowding. There was not any attempt to do something to avoid crowding and the inconveniences it entails. I wonder why the staff hadn’t realized after several days of doing the same process and faing the same problems. Or, they could have chosen a bigger venue.
Not only the application process but the Oathtaking ceremonies itself was chaotic:
1. There were not enough seats at the venue. Other teachers were left with no choice but to stand outside and watch as though they were not the main stars of the event. Did the organizers ever realize that events like this should be solemn? The less patient ones, in fact, left the venue even before the program started.
2. They promised to distribute the reports of rating but they didn’t keep their promise. After distributing to some teachers, they were suddenly gone without formally informing those who were there what will happen next. They made everyone feel stupid.
My conclusion is: they don’t have respect for us.
These stuff and other sensitive information were detailed in the letter I addressed to the PRC director. I just hope they could do something about this.
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Batang Kalye–New Post, New Layout
MY FILIPINO blog, Batang Kalye has now a new layout!
I also have a new post, which discusses the value of a person. I wrote it two days after reading a comment on my tagboard there. It was not written in defense of myself but as my insight on how we view our fellowmen. It’s my Christmas gift for the world.
Merry Christmas, everyone!
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Gaining Control Over Desires
HAD I been born in a different circumstance, I would have been a monk.
My experiences in life have taught me that happiness comes to one who?has learned to control his desires, or, in a deeper sense, practice self-abnegation.
I have thought about it as many times as I have been in?very long?queues. Imagine, if you lose control of yourself while waiting for your turn, would you be able to get what you want?? That might just be simple logic but it has a significant impact in the lives of every man.
Unsurprisingly, different world religions are teaching principles of disciplining oneself.
We learn from our history classes that Buddha experienced enlightenment after days of sacrifice and?realized that Nirvana “the highest happiness” can be attained after following the eight-fold path that requires one to shake off worldly desires. Buddhism further teaches that this world is naturally filled with sufferings and that we can only be saved from these sufferings by gaining control over our desires.
In the Christendom, there is what is called the seven deadly sins: extravagance, later lust, gluttony, greed,?sloth, anger, envy, and pride. Added to that, the Bible also tells Christians to abhor adultery, uncleaness, fornication, lasciviousness, etc. If one is able to follow?what the Bible says, he?will inherit the Kingdom of God.?So one has to posess these?virtues, among others: chastity, abstinence, temperance, diligence, patience, kindness, and humility, which all require self-denial.
Muslims, too, believe that self-control is?important as evidently stated in the quote: The strong man is not the good wrestler; the strong man is only he who controls himself when he is angry.
Sikhs believe in the adage, With the conquest of my mind, I have conquered the whole world. Adherents of Jainism has this saying, Fight with yourself; why fight with external foes?? He who conquers himself through himself will obtain happiness. For Hindus, That man is disciplined and happy who can prevail over the turmoil That springs from desire and anger, here on earth, before he leaves his body.
My point is I have to be strong, remain steadfast, until I achieve what God has prepared for me in this world. For example, I have to wait until my first salary comes. Haha. I should not give in to my desire of looking for new employment. I have to accept that it’s just like this in the government.?(I migh be able to?perform my mission here?when the right time comes.)?I need to stretch my patience and endure all the challenges I am facing now because I know that something better is waiting for me. I should hang on.
But it’s very difficult to convince myself.
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