I HAVE been contemplating to write a post about this two weeks ago but I had been very busy (an understatement) so I’m writing about it only now.

It’s true, our municipal officials, led by our Vice-Mayor Vic Paul Salarda, are preparing the necessary documents for our town’s cityhood. Two weeks ago, it was officially announced at the municipal hall. They are seeing to it that before the the congress opens this November, all the documents shall have been submitted.

There is no question about Alabel being qualified as a city. Even the Mayor of the nearby General Santos City agrees with it. On TV, he said that in terms of income, land area, and population, Alabel is ready to become a city.

So am I excited about it? Amused is more apt, I guess.

I roamed around to see if the place is really ready to become a city. The public market, a mega-market according to the signboard, is still under construction.

…..Click here to read more

Congrats to all my fellow bloggers in Mindanao for a very successful summit here in GenSan! I missed the first day of the 2nd Mindanano Bloggers Summit (MBS2) but I still had the chance to meet some of the bloggers who stayed for the tour. I only caught a glimpse of the summit and it was fun. How much more if I was able to enjoy the rest of it? Kudos to my fellow SoCCSKSarGen bloggers who worked hard for its success, especially Sir Avel and Sir Hecky!

I am sure my students, Bien, Pull, Eirven, and Joanna, who attended the event had so much fun! Thanks to Aethen for the Wordpress T-Shirt!

LIFE IS getting more and more complicated for these days and I’m about to lose my sanity.

I BADLY NEED A BREAK.

After days of poring over our school improvement plan, I had a (very) short break in Lake Sebu. No, it wasn’t really a break; it was part of work. And now, I’m back to my stressful life.

Next week is our Mid-year Performance Evaluation. That means a break for the students but not for us, teachers. That means loads of work to be done and training conferences.

TO DO A DEMOSTRATION TEACHING NEXT WEEK

What’s wracking my nerves about the coming week is my demonstration teaching. The participants are master and would-be-master teachers all over the region. The former Education Supervisor in Science of Region XII asked me to prepare a lesson on radio communication systems. We will be having a meeting tomorrow to discuss the details.

I tried to bargain with her that I could not do it because it’s me who needs training. But it seemed to be a tall order and she has already talked with my principal about it. All I could do now is obey.

When that demonstration is done, I would really spend a day in our farm to unwind. It’s a need that if not addressed will take me to the nearest mental asylum. …..Click here to read more

I’VE BEEN away for quite too long that I find it difficult to shift my gears back to my normal blogging life. It was just a week-long absence, but it felt like eternity. I’m like, Am I still welcome in the blogosphere?

Well, anyway, it’s a free world. So I’m welcoming back myself again.

I’ve just arrived from Lake Sebu, South Cotabato where the Regional Youth Science Camp was held. I coached my student in Physics Quiz Bowl, in which he emerged 1st Runner Up, only two questions shy from Championship. It could have meant a trip to Mindoro sometime in February. But fate has its own will; we can only submit to its whim.

My Lake Sebu experience is one of the most memorable trips I’ve had. I really had fun with my students and my co-teachers.

On Digital Detours, you can find pictures of Lake Sebu.

THE IDIOM is just so apt for me these days. I’m like a zombie at home. When I arrive, I just go straight to my room and doze off. I just hope we could finish the school improvement plan very soon. I could not take it if our stress would be prolonged.

It’s Saturday today but I and three of my co-teachers spent the whole day in school polishing our school improvement plan, which we were working on for almost a week already. Even until tomorrow, we’ll still be going back to school to finish it. It’s like being in college again. Ugh.

This mug given to me by students (they should have known I’m a coffee addict) says all that I am today:

Well, I did stop and smell the rose today. I took some pictures of the flowers inside the campus and posted them on Digital Detours.

AND WE are now an official badminton club! We can now use our town’s gymnasium. When we stated, we’re just playing in front our our municipal hall. Although we dind’t have problems with the place, having it in the gymnasium is more comfortable. Plus, it gives us security that whatever the weather, we can go on with our fitness activity.

When I get my payday advance, I will buy a new Yonex. Mine is very old. I started using it when I was in gradeschool. Haha.

I’m just glad that we have bigger number now. We started with only four. Now, there are more than 15 and counting. It’s time to meet new friends while staying fit.

FOR SEVERAL days now, I have not been doing classroom teaching because my principal commissioned me to draft our school improvement plan. It’s draining the spirit in me because, for several hours in a day, we’re talking about problems and trying to find solutions, which appear to be very elusive.

It’s not that I am complaining. It’s just that I don’t think I’m ready enough to talk about things that only mature people talk about. I started teaching for only about a year or so and I don’t think that is long enough for me to be able to make plans for the school. But I’m sure that eventually, I’ll be dealing with more stuff like this.

At the moment, of all the things we do in school, it’s being in the classroom that I enjoy the most. There is something about being with the young that lifts up my spirit. Two days ago, my senior students called me a “terror.”  But I appreciated it because I think it’s the best time to teach them a lesson. Kidding. …..Click here to read more

TEACHERS IN the country may enjoy treats from any Jollibee stores nationwide starting today, October 5, 2008 until October 10th as Jollibee takes part in the celebration of World Teachers’ Day.

However, it is public knowledge that teachers do not need a treat from Jollibee because they need more than that. Nevertheless, we say thanks to Jollibee for thinking about the teachers. I wonder what is GSIS’ participation in this year’s celebration — setting us free, maybe, from all the anomalies some people in the agancy are allegedly doing.

There are some good news for teachers, though, like the 6-hour teaching load, setting the maximum number of classroom teaching to only six hours, and the proposed staggered salary increases. The government must be afraid that our good teachers will all fly to where milk and honey flows.

By the way, October 5 is set by the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a day to honor our teachers who are the ones who help shape the future of the world. Support must be given to the teachers to help them perform their duties well.

…..Click here to read more

I’M MORE than excited for the 2nd Mindanao Bloggers Summit, which will be held will be held at the Family Country Hotel and Convention Center,General Santos City on October 25-26, 2008.

Sir Avel has been very enthusiastic about hosting the MBS2 and working incredibly for the success of this event. Things got clearer when we had the workshop led by Sir Hecky. But I had not been very active in the fast few weeks. There were plans but it had just been impossible for me to take part in turning them into reality. Good thing, there’s someone like Sir Avel, who blogs right at the City Mayor’s Office of General Santos City, and the MBS2 will surely be a great success.

The registration process had already been closed earlier today and a lot of people have already registered. There’s a limit of only a hundred people but I’m sure the organizers will not shoo away walk-ins. We’ll be warm and nice to all of you.

CO-PRESENTERS:
NOKIA (Philippines), Inc.
Mayor Pedro B. Acharon, Jr.
Congresswoman Darlene Antonino-Custodio
ABS-CBN Regional Network Group
Mindanao Bloggers
Bariles RepublicGOLD SPONSORS:
ACLC-Skeptron Ventures, Inc.
Gregoria Printing Press

SILVER SPONSORS:
Asia United Bank
NoKiAHOST.COM - P5/day Philippines Webhosting
Family Country Hotel & Convention Center
East Asia Royale Hotel

BRONZE SPONSORS:
GensanSALE.COM - AnyThings for Sale in Gensan
Blogging from Home Book
Pacific Seas Seafood Market
Shalom-Crest Wizard Academy
Generals Logimark Exponent
Prints and You
Sta. Cruz Seafood, Inc.
Dellosa Design Builders, Inc.

LIFE INDEED is a cycle. A few months ago, I’ve been feeling so low because it seems like everything I do fails. First, the blogging seminar we orgnanized was postponed. Of course, I’ve already put a lot into it. I also suferred some depression after the great deception. I thought it was just nothing. I thought that it would easily slip off my head. But that trauma I experienced was quite too grave that it affected my work.

Things went a bit fine this past few days. Two of my students were declared champion in two academic competitions. Dioveth, who at some point earned the ire of the teachers because of his perceived attitude, has just won the Super Quiz Bee champion in our division. Just yesterday, Gwenathan topped the quizzers from different schools in the Division Science Camp. Their victory might actually be due to their indvidual efforts in reviewing our lessons and studying those topics, which we haven’t covered yet, but I just feel so happy seeing them enjoy the feel of winning.

Winning is a humbling experience. After receiving your award or when the crowd’s applause fades, you will realize that winning in a competition doesn’t actually make you better than others. Before joining the competition, you hunger for recognition or being looked up by others, but after the announcement of the result, you find out that the admiration by others is not the best thing you could get from winning. What did it take you to be there? What have become of you after the victory? It’s what you learn that matters.That is especially true when you worked very hard for your victory. I can’t really explain it but I’m sure that is you’ve been through it, you know what I mean.

Congratulations to my students and thank you for the respect I’ve seen. You’ve taught me something, too.