Fixing up dents

A new pair of shoes made in L.A. from People are People
Global Brand Ben Chan new shirt
Elegant Urban travel bag, black with white vertical stripes, loved by everyone.
All of Bob Ong weird books

So far, these were what I bought as gifts for myself during the past months of working and supporting my family back home. -haha-

Well just thought of posting it because of the happiness it brings and its weird self-boosting effects to work harder.

By the way, I hate seeing the gap since my last post. Who would love that gap? It’s a couple of months now. Have I been too busy? I don’t think so. I apologize for those who were deceived that I was like busy as a bee. The truth is, totoy juan have been too lazy, not with work, but with writing my thoughts.

This post is an indicator that I’m ‘trying’ to fix dents up and bring back the zest of writing and blogging that has taken its back seat. Thanks to Aethen of aethen.com. Bro, your sending of wise and ‘pasaway’ text messages constantly reminded and reminds me of revving up ‘again’ this substantial hobby of blogging.

Thanks achiever! I haven’t tried the UNYT of Globe yet but thanks for inviting.

The Great God has been so good in my life for the past months. My job here in Manila gave me precious learning experiences packed with a cool new environment and cool new people to work and enjoy days with.

My time spent with the Mangyans in Mindoro in the previous weeks was a life-changing indulgence. Witnessing their ways of life in person, learning a little bit of the Alangan language, eating with them, observing their rituals made me better understand my roles in this pilgrimage and my responsibility over it.

I am thankful for the opportunity to be able to part of a program that would lead them to a better socioeconomic and spiritual situation.

Teaching or projects?

I realized I am enjoying working with private companies especially consulting firms. Many were asking why I don’t pursue teaching, to pursue what I have achieved in college. I answered them as always, “teaching will be my last resort in terms of career”. However, teaching will always be part of my every day living, everywhere I go.

“Pero sayang ung mga pinag-aralan mo.”

I admit, somehow it is true. But apart from my course I also focused on the extra-curricular activities like the college publication, the student government, interpersonal and intrapersonal development groups, arts and culture clubs, English clubs and others. These endeavors imparted necessary knowledge and skills which I am utilizing nowadays. Meaning, my four-year stay in college didn’t go to waste. God had a purpose.

“Ayaw mo ba ng mas stable na job?”

My life in projects is not stable. I know. But I suppose, it’s too early for me to be permanent in a firm. On the other hand, consultants are encouraging me to engage in NGOs and private entities while furthering my education and taking care of my name while I am still young.

What’s the point?

Well, there is a greater advantage since there are greater possibilities of getting into different projects. You may be indulged in mine site plannings, resettlement schemes, urban infrastructure development, educational improvement, poverty reduction and institutional enhancements, capacity building assistance and many others. It might be local or international. Thus, more travel, more learning, more fun and more more.

In addition, I might be a better teacher if I start with these endeavors, isn't it?

Thoughts after farewell

I’m a little MBUSSP-sick.

My stint with the project has ended but I’ve learned I should sustain my attachment with the whole team. Or shall I say, “I must!” Who knows? I’ll still be working with them on other projects later on.

Naturally, I miss the whole MBUSSP team, and also the LGU functors of the Mindanao Region. Working with them was a wonderful learning experience, a taxing challenge and a blessing in my early professional years.

But the other side of me gives me feelings of guilt – guilt of leaving one of my favorite consultants. On the approval of the supplemental budget for the last remaining months of the Mindanao-wide assistance, they offered me the official project assistant slot of Project Component C. But earlier than the offer, I already accepted the invitation of my previous leader, Tita Bing, for the Mindoro Nickel Project.

The guilt is part of the reality I must accept. I bet there will be more farewells. More to the fact, Tita Bing was the first consultant who hired me for my first ever professional engagement. She trained and molded me and paved the way to brighter opportunities. I would be so mean to reject the invitation.

I'm in Antipolo, Rizal right now and excited for a fresh endeavor and experience in Mindoro Island.

I'm hired!

“Hi Quincy. You (do) have a place at MBUSSP. I’m in the process of finalizing the arrangements for the extension of Norconsult with DILG. I will advise you early next (month).”

I was overwhelmed.

And I was challenged.

The message was from the Senior Management Adviser of Norconsult Management Services (Philippines) Inc. and the Team Leader of the Mindanao Basic Urban Services Project, Mr. Herman Z. Ongkiko.

First week of February, I received an email from the Administrative Officer of the company requesting me to report to Cagayan de Oro City on the 15^th of February, 2008 for workshop.

I’m hired!

Now, I’m conquering the “Promise Land” of the Philippines with a job that gave me great opportunities to work for the greater Glory of the Lord, precious chances of sharpening my personality, priceless privileges of friendship, exposure, adventure and learning.

To my indefatigable Nanay who has fervently perfected her role as our mother and at the same time our father, to my siblings for the inspiration, strength and love, to my cousins, titas and titos and to my former boss, Tita Bing, and to my mentors back in my 16 years of conventional schooling, I would thank many people from the bottom of my heart but to you my heart has no bottom.

I dedicate this job to the Lord and to my Tatay.

A recollection of success and a simple celebration

The four (4) months of staying in Mindanao was a priceless and precious experience. Swerving through the roads of the ‘promise land’ passing through bridges over deep wide rivers, unwinding in the beaches of Surigao, mingling with people from different sorts of life, laughing out loud with our friends from the Muslim community, hotel hopping and masticating luxurious food for free – these were things I never thought I could plunge into!

But there was one event that really overwhelmed me while I was there forcing my body to move out every morning to battle short-time sleep.

Third week of September 2007, a week before my birthday. Davao-bound from Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental, we dropped by Harbor Lights Hotel, Cagayan de Oro City to stay for the night. The next morning, while having a meeting with my boss regarding our liquidation during our past activity, my mother called up from home, in front of the computer, she was checking the licensure examination for teachers list of successful examinees at Inquirer.net - she reported I passed.

I was speechless for a while, thank God and told my boss about it and there she started sharing the news to our fellow workers in the dining hall!

Felicitations filled and I was overwhelmed. God is awesome.

My officemates were suggesting a celebration. Too unfortunate, we didn’t have much time.

We went to Kidapawan City, North Cotabato the following week and stopped at a pick and grill restaurant serving my favorite deep fried ‘hito’ (too bad, I can’t find it here in Negros Occidental). There was an acoustic band playing for the customers from table to table and later they played for a group of young people next to us. Surprisingly, two among them sang in lieu of the band’s soloist.

I was already munching the 'hito' then while I overheard how they sang the songs! It was pretty relaxing and cool. I’m a lover of music and I can’t help but glance at them once in a while, trying hard to listen more. I can’t help it. I wanted them to sing more songs.

Alright! I was so mean! But I just love them sing more songs!

Later did I know that the Implementation Coordinator of the Project from Kidapawan City knows the two girls and so I asked her if she can request them to sing for us. My boss related that I passed the Board Exam and it will be my birthday few days from then.

What looked like our supper became a little celebration. They agreed immediately and invited the band to accompany them and there, all the eyes on us. (Please bear with the amateur cell phone video.):

part 1

part 2

part 3


I was impressed. Not only with how they sang but with how they accepted a little request and gave an enjoying part in my simple celebration, my simple thanksgiving for the goodness of the Lord during those days. Too bad, I didn't get their names and email addresses. (Toink!) I still wish to meet them sometimes - while eating 'hito' again.

Those were two of the awesome birthday gifts I have ever received. Unwrapped and no ribbons – but deeply prized and will stay with me for the rest of my life.

He carried it

It has been more than 4 months since my last post. Because my job in Mindanao is a wrapping up assignment of the JFPR project which started in 2003, it was too busy that it didn’t give me a chance to create posts. Tita (she doesn’t want me to call her boss because we are in a development project) and I worked even in Saturdays and Sunday afternoons.

September 8 – I stepped out the plane at Davao Int'l Airport asking my self “what am I doing here?” The project didn’t give me proper orientation and briefing on what the nature of the job is, who’s who and what’s what. I didn’t know the facts behind the project at all. I was a blank sheet. It seemed driving in an unlighted highway in the night without headlight. I got no local vertical – no direction.

I only got acquainted with the project during the first workshop at Harbor Lights Hotel in Cagayan de Oro City. There, by God’s grace, I was given light of what I was doing there.

There have been vast challenges, struggles, boredom and tears along the way.

1. The job is multi-tasking. You got to print documents while sleeping and communicate with coordinators while eating. During workshops and writeshops, you need to take the minutes and encode while facilitating the LCD projector and while taking pictures. Finish your documentation while downloading reports sent to your email.

It was exactly rendering technical assistance ‘no matter what’.

2. We didn’t have to miss a week for a consultation and writeshop to eight (8) LGU sites since we were given short time to finish the needed requirements. We were only having land trips using the office’s service vehicles and travel goes through several hours. Though, I love to travel, you can’t deny you’d go weary upon arrival. But you can’t just relax in the hotel since you can’t neglect the preparations for tomorrow’s events. So you’d really stay up late with toothpicks on your eyes.

3. It was my first time in the job and there are still a bunch of things I really do not know about it. Well, yeah, it naturally happens with a novice and I now know how it feels.

For a couple of times, I experienced Tita’s reprimands and scolds. There was early one morning thinking it was a good day, while I was enjoying the music from the laptop, when I was eating a delicious food. It was as if one sack of rice dumped over me and shoulders sulked.

Negative thoughts came into my nutshell but I didn’t give up. I just listened and later knew she was right. All her words were. She knew.

4. It’s Mindanao so we were traveling from place to place, passing through Muslim communities and areas, in the midst of the battle against the 2 opposing groups. We were traveling in the face of terrorism.

If you heard about Kidapawan City bombing just this November, 2007, we were shopping in that mall 2 days before the main gate was bombed. And before we went to Cotabato City, a carenderia was bombed.

God spared us.

5. Hitting two birds with one stone was not a joke. I engaged in graphic designing sideline for a company via email so I got to budget my time between my work as technical assistant and as an amateur graphic designer. It was hard, but it was all worth it. I have adjusted and now I am enjoying it.

It was tough as I recollect.

But evidently, God was there standing beside us, walking behind us and leading us.

I surpassed my first set of challenges in my first ever professional engagement – and HE was there.

God carried it.

God carries it also

It's the last day of being home.

I woke up around 8 in the morning this day and just before doing anything else, I prayed and checked my phone (I usually place it beside my bed.) if there's any message.

I got this:

"He is always to be found in the thickest part of the battle. The heaviest end of the cross lies ever on His shoulders. If He bids us to carry a burden, He carries it also. If there is anything that is gracious, generous and tender, so lavish and supernatural in love, you will always find it in Him." - C.H. Spurgeon

It's from 'textmate'.

Mulling over my trip to Davao tonight for a contractual job until December 15, the message became a pressure-relieving reminder that whatever odd I will be needing to surpass, He is there for me for guidance, protection and strength.

I say thanks so much to the one who sent it. I consider her life, per se, as an inspiration.

This will be the very first time that I'll be away from home for more than a month. I thank God for this opportunity for me to learn to stand alone and depend on myself.

The work. After the recently concluded fieldwork in Iloilo National High School (Thankfully the processing and interpretation of data is finally done.), God gave me another opportunity to be involved in a study to help our fellow-Filipinos in Mindanao. This is a Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction Project through the Asian Development Bank. Apparently, this focuses on alleviating the socioeconomic and psychosocial status of poor women market vendors in Mindanao. The output of this work will be the bases of formulating steps in order to uplift the status of the market vendors on the areas of concentration.

On the other hand, this is my chance to help my own family here in La Carlota City, Negros Occidental.

I express my utmost gratitude to my cousins, Pastor Paul and his wife Nang Nyl and also Tita Cora - Pastor Paul's mother - for fervently recommending me to obtain this work.

I now know the answer why God made me face vast challenges and odds during the 16 years of formal education from kindergarten to college.

Hiatus. I don't know if I can visit you guys as often as I was doing for the past days. For now, I don't know the system and process of the work. Hopefully, I can still have time to mingle with you.

May God take the wheel as I travel and may He fill me up with
wisdom to tackle the obstacles.

If He bids me to carry a burden, He carries it also.

Textmate

The advent of text messaging here in the Philippines definitely had an enormous impact on my personal life.

I was really engrossed to text messaging and had several textmates in a row back in high school. Bad thing is, I didn't have my own phone that time and I was only borrowing from Nanay. Obviously, I was often scolded when she discovers i used more than 50 pesos of her load for petty conversations with anybody anonymous. That was really stupid!

Not until year 2000 when somebody introduced me to a girl who is from the Panay Island. Her personality reflected on the way she replies, on what messages she shares, on how she gives advices, on how she explains things in the Biblical perspective and how she gives reminders. Yes, through that I knew who she is. She's God-fearing. Smart. Diligent. Prayerful. Optimistic. Loving. Thoughtful. You name it!

She was worth every peso and every minute I spend with her through text until I already had my own phone. She has been there sharing her insights on life, love, optimism and Christ-centeredness. She taught me priceless lessons - though I am a year older than her. Gradually, she helped me unfold the realities in my life. She inspired me to pray even more stronger and more often and she encouraged me for several times whenever I'm down. She silently made me recognize my immaturity. We shared laughs, we shared sadness, we shared prayers.

Everything was through text.

But God was so wise to provide us a way to meet. And I was able to know her even better, meet her friends, meet her classmates, meet the church where she's part of and also meet her family.

As I reminisce, I can't imagine those times that I was able to attend my 'textmate's' graduation day in high school where she graduated Valedictorian of her class with other cool academic awards. I also attended her thanksgiving party Sunday after her grad day. I also attended her debut and all I can say was 'awesome'.

Imagine I was across a vast sea but still managed to attend few of the most important events in my 'textmate's' life. Do you think I'm in love? Yes, I am. But waiting must still be the game.

Now we are texting for nearly 6 years.

Turn off the 'textmateship'. We're good friends now and if you would ask me who among my friends who had a great impact on my life? She's one of them. (Here's another one.)

When God molds and opens opportunities

When I graduated March 25, 2007, I didn't have anything in mind but to review for the Licensure Examination for Teachers. I thought, I can better start with any job that comes along the way if I'm already a professional license carrier. There's a greater chance of getting hired to any institution, higher compensation and greater opportunities for promotion, privileges and other advantages.

But that plan was twisted when God showered me with good breaks. I already had my application form that time and the only thing left to do is to pay for the 2-month weekends review in my Alma Mater when Kuya Aldwin sent me an e-mail telling me to be his partner for supervising an adolescent reproductive health research project in Region VI. He told me about the benefits and the advantages of indulging in this activity and the things I needed to do. Besides, it's research and it means new learning, new experiences, new adventure -and that's priceless.

So, I kept my application form and prepared for the activity.

Leaving for Iloilo, I left my application letter and credentials at our Municipal Trial Court in Cities. I was applying as an office clerk. Yes, just an office clerk. But mulling over the fact that it is a national office, funded by the Supreme Court, there are fringe benefits.

It was an opportunity God opened through a mentor who has been there for me ever since we knew each other in college. That was my very first job application and I didn't imagine myself having endorsements from the President of my school, from a retired Chief Parole and Probation officer III and the President of the Philippines.

Still, those were through the unselfish efforts of one dynamic mentor - well not just in academics but also in politics, life and love. I owe her a lot.

Unfortunately, the Supreme Court didn't declare the position vacant yet so my application in the office is chilled for a while.

Later, it was already August 3, 2007 - Friday - my grandmother died and I was a 90-kilometer trip away from home, still on research. I didn't have any other option but to pursue the researchers to do everything by themselves and to just update me for problems and questions. I badly needed to go home.

God was great! He moved the heart and hands of the researchers and everything went cool.

About grandma's death, though its a sad time for our family, we saw it as another opportunity. An opportunity to help other loved ones and the community around us to see the true meaning of life. Help them know the God of provision and promotion and help them change their outlook on death.

Now, it's 2 weeks after the funeral. No doubt, everything changed here at home after the burial of my grandma. But, she left us with a business. Because of how we "celebrated" her promotion to a better place of setting up a tarp wrapped with photos of blissful memories with her family, using balloons and ribbons and of making a colorful program prints filled with songs and laughter, people came and proposed transactions!

Now we have partners from few institutions for designs, lay-outs and prints. God's so cool isn't it?

While we were yet starting with this graphic designing business and while looking forward for the board exam, my cousin from Laguna, who is a Pastor's wife, called me up one morning and told me about another research project. Now its focused on the socioeconomic and psychosocial status of market vendors below poverty line in Mindanao. My function is to facilitate the workshops and document the proceedings, and make a report. This will start sometime in September.

This is a complimentary project under the Mindanao Basic Urban Services Sector Project (MBUSSP) of DILG with Asian Development Bank as its donor. Considering the job, I can already help my mother and my brother spend for the education of my my younger brother in the Technological University of the Philippines - Visayas taking up Electronics and Communications Engineering and my younger sister who is a special science class high school student.

What do I do now? Shall I hit 2 birds with one stone? Or shall I say 3 birds. By October we will have a Adolescent Reproductive Health Advocacy National Convention in Cebu City for another set of projects for the coming year.

Indeed, When God opens opportunities, you'd go dizzy choosing where to land and I will always be thankful to God and for how He molded me in the 16 years of formal education through the utmost support, love and sacrifice of my parents and of the inspiration of friends, relatives and church family. Worth were all the sacrifices in college. I graduated with honors and it brought me to being an awardee as an outstanding youth of our city (April 13, 2007) apart from my extra-curricular activities and services. My mother was also awarded as outstanding mother of the city. Thanks to the Kababaihang Rizalista Incorporada Kapisanang Pandaigdig, Inc. for such an award. It was then my first chance to be published on Visayan Daily Star. -lol-

Now, the only requirement for me to discern what to choose and what to pursue is through praying for wisdom - practical discernment. As James 1:5 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."

And with all these, I praise the name of the Lord, express my deepest gratitude to my late father and my ever-protective mother and I humble myself.

On photos: [just click on it for a better view] Top The author receiving his diploma.
Bottommost (left to right) Eddie Yap (grandfather), Marisses Tampo (mother), Noel Yap (uncle), the author

LET day: there's nothing wrong with failing

The Board Examination is done and finally, I'm out of the pressure.

It was tough, honestly. Especially, I wasn't able to review formally and seriously. I only read few notes the night before doom's day. I used my remaining cell phone load balance to ask for prayers once again from my relatives and from church family.

I was really desperate for their intercession that night because I was a bit losing hope and my heart's pounding fast with the pressure.

But thankfully, God provided me with a loving community who encouraged me to climb the mountain and surpass the shadow of fear.

Hear are few of the text messages I received:

"Whatever mountain stands in your path, whatever obstacle blocks your way, whatever difficulty immobilizes you, the prayer of faith can remove it! Praying for you. God bless!"
- cindy

"I'm praying for you, ta."
-tita ging

"Ok manong. I'll pray for you gid."
-sarah joy

"Kung ari ka lang di, himuan ta gid ka banner!"
(I'll make you a banner if you're here!)
-cindy


These are only few of the messages.

It made me cry inside my room realizing how I am blessed with these people. I thought, If my insufficiency in reviewing my lessons can't pass this exam, their ways of uplifting my heart and for their inspiration can. Well, apart from those who prayed for me in the blogosphere.

Through this, I fortified my strong belief in investing my life in people who are God-fearing and promising.

Thank you so much.

LET day. I am an hour travel from my examination venue so I rode a PUB at 4:30 in the morning. The bus was having very few passengers but then decided to depart knowing about the exam.

Later on the trip, 2 of my batch rode the bus and there the chattering started. Until few moments passed and our bus was loaded with examinees from different places and many of them are my classmates. "Hi's", laughs and smiles filled the ride until we arrived at the venue.

It was cool that we had good laughs before taking the mind-stirring 6-hour examination.

Thanks to the jesters!

On set. I can't remember anything on the process of the testing except for those entries that confused me a lot. Especially when it comes to philosophies and the philosophers. Besides that, I really had difficulty over those test items that I haven't encountered when I was yet schooling.

Funny "ini mini may ni mo" was popular that day except for situational questions which needed practical discernment.

Finally. Headache was the aftermath. I felt the back part of my brain was screwed up that when I got home, I immediately dozed off. -whew-

Acceptance. I am expecting the unexpected regarding the results of the examination. I mean failing. I know now that it will be easy for me to look at results on the mainstream press even though my name may not be there.

After all, there's nothing wrong with failing. Anyway, the board exam is still there scheduled every year.

If you think

I got this set of pictures from my brother's email inbox when he requested me to open it. And to compliment those who blogged about contentment, let me share this with you.

"Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want; it is the realization of how much you already have."

I got this quote from Jackie.

If you think you are unhappy, look at them.

If you think your job is tough, how about him?

If you think your salary is low, how about this kid's?

If you think you don't have many friends, ask yourself if you have one sincere friend.

You think study is a burden? How about her?

When you feel like giving up, think of this man.

If you think you suffer in life, do you suffer as much as he does?

If you complain about your transport system, how about them?

If your society is unfair to you, look at her.

Think positively and count your blessings. You have many things and aspects in your life to be grateful for.

Now if you think life is unfair, think of these people.

Join efforts to care for those in need

The battle in 3 days.

The Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) is coming up fast and I can already feel the pressure - the squeezing I once experienced when I was yet filing for the Board. I never had felt of needing much prayers from my friends than now. Every time I'm OL, I'm in the community and in the church, I can't stop my self from asking for prayers from friends and my church family and from anyone across the globe.

Gratefully, I was talking a while with my cousin from Laguna and she told that their church prayed for me. My teachers from our school also told that they'll do the same. Also my own church family and our sending churches. Not to forget, my blogging friends also left a word here that they'll also include me in their prayers.

These really gave me a lift so I really really thank you so much from the bottom of my heart.

Indeed, we need others in this world full of shadows of grief, anxiety and pressure. "No man is an island" as we often reiterate it.

I came across a statement from Morrie from a the book "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom. He said that in the beginning of life, when we were infants, we need others to survive and at the end of life, when we are already near death, we need others to survive." But there's one secret he was using and maybe it was the reason why his life has been so inspiring for many people in the world right now. In between birth and death, he always 'needed' others. He invested in human family. He invested in people. He built his own community filled with the people he loves and who love him as well.

And with this upcoming exam? I tie up (or fortify the ties) with the people around me for my sources of encouragement, hope, courage and strength.

I hope and pray that everything will just go smoothly on Sunday. This will be a test of faith.

The battle is the Lord's!

Banged head

Few days left and it will the Licensure Examination for Teachers and I still haven't reviewed.

Right after graduation, I was really eager to review for the board exam - that'll be on the 26th of this month - so I could pass at the first take. But because of unexpected incidents last summer and as the new school year started, I accepted job opportunities along the way - like the recently concluded fieldwork. It was due to my excitement to earn as soon as possible.

In my previous post, I told you about the stuffs I made as tribute for my grandmother who's already history. After the burial, visitors came to ask me how much would it cost if I'd make some creatives (invitations, programs, tarp designing, cards and the like) for them. So, I thought, it would be a start of a small desktop publishing business for me and my family. We grabbed the opportunity to earn even just a little. It's already a big help for us anyway. But it came a prob for my review because we have pending orders. Besides, for now I'm the only one here at home who knows Photoshop.

It's somehow banging my head these days.

My outlook on Death and a Tribute for Lola

Death for our Christian family is a celebration - a celebration of life in eternity - and not mourning.

Well, yes, there were always be tears human as we are who were beautifully created with emotions. But we believe, God sees the meaning of each tear that we shed. Deep in it are the joys and thankfulness that once again another member of our family has been promoted to live in eternity face to face with the Lord in a place where there is no sadness, no pain, no grief, no violence, no selfishness but all pure sharing, happiness and love.

As tribute for my Lola who sacrificed a lot for her children and for all her grandchildren and great grandchildren, I made this photo montage with a colorful background signifying our assurance and bliss that Lola is now enjoying the most beautiful place with her long lost loved ones. I printed this in 7 by 3 feet tarpaulin and posted it in one of our walls here at home (Can't provide some pictures of the events here for now because I didn't have available cam. I'll still wait for my cousin to mail the pictures since he's already in Laguna now. I'll let you see the interment , which happened yesterday, 081107, and other photos then.)

To make a change in our culture's way of making programs for burial services, my family and I conceptualized the prints to make it more jovial, make it more colorful and more uplifting to make our guests and visitors change their outlook about death. We filled it with songs of praises and comfort on solos from my cousins, group singing of my uncles and aunties and choirs of the whole family. Partly musical, partly hilarious, partly sad.

It's printed in a 2.5 by 6 inches paper layout. The first page is on parchment with the "an appointment with the Lord" text, second page (the program) on specialty board and scented with my Lola's Avon powder and the last page (thank you note) is on specialty paper and tied it with a purple ribbon so it would look like a bookmark.

(Just click on the images for a better look.)

Yes, through that we can change the people's outlook on death. Apparently, most homo sapiens are scared of talking about that event but hey, it will come. No advancement in technology and medicine can ever avoid the cold touch of death.

My grandmother, who is a missionary and Lola's in-law, always reiterates the fact that most percentage of our life is waiting. We wait until we grow up, wait until you can finish your studies, wait until you find somebody to love and then to get married. You wait until your first, second, third and last child, wait until they grow up and you to grow older. And suddenly, wait until somebody will gonna wipe your own ass and wait until death.

That gives me the reason to enjoy the process while I am young. Knowing that we can't bring our diplomas, certificates and awards in heaven, I enjoy the process through wrapping my life with interaction and affection. This is because there is only one thing that you can bring up with you - your character.

-sigh- I'll miss Lola as how I miss my father.

Who says religion can't be funny?

See you in the morning Lola

-whew-

Finally! I'm done with the do-this-survey-or-i'll-damn-you thing during the past week. It has been a "calvary" and a "pressure cooker" activity that I got to exhaust every minute and every second when I was there in the field.

I mean, it wasn't my project coordinator who was pressuring me or the whole research team but it was just the thought that I don't want to compromise my accepted activity and my accepted tasks and responsibilities.

By the way, how's everyone? I really want to thank you for visiting me by and by. The sparing of your time to click on my blog is really lifting my spirit. I didn't imagine my blog to deserve visits and comments like what I've received even though I wasn't here for several days. So, thank you thank you and thank you to those who visited, commented, left a word, gave updates on their blogs, gave suggestions, left farts and flooded my shoutbox. ;) j/k

Friday, August 3, 2007

Upon arriving home with great hopes that I can give my grandmother (the one I'm nursing at home) a good smile because I'm carrying her requested 'biscocho' from the Iloilo's Biscocho House, I was stunned with this site in our sala.

My grandmother died early morning that Friday and pandemonium sulked in my heart.

I've been praying to God to extend my grandma's life so I can still have the opportunity to bring back what she has sacrificed for us since the time we (my siblings and I) were born. Her sacrifices on taking good care of our baby lives years back, the sacrifice of waking up early each morning to cook our breakfast when we were schooling, her sacrifices when we were sick, her sacrifices when we wanted some snacks, her sacrifices to give us joy, compassion and love.

I will miss every moment I spent with lola. I will miss her smile, her laughs, her talks about her experiences, her talks about her travels and jaunts when she was young, I will miss the times when she was stealing some time to clean up my scalp with ticks and louses.

Anyway, I believe she has already the greatest joy up there in heaven with the Lord cooking for her friends and family with her golden cooking utensils and titanium wares. Serving food with her diamond plates and cups. Offering her delicious menus with sincerity, thoughtfulness and love.

I will miss you lola. I love you so much. See you in the morning.

Tweaks before a blog leave (again!?)

*What do you think about my new header? If it's kind of stupid, please let me know ha?

Please beware: narcissism rules in this post. ha3 Just please bear with me. Sometimes, it's healthy to be proud of your own self. diba noh? diba? diba? (please tell me if I really am narcissistic or some kinda demanding here. hihi)

Obviously, I have several tweaks and changes in my blog in a matter of 2 days. Well, this is a sort of preparation for another scheduled blog leave and that'll be about 8 hours from now (my clock ticks 8PM).

Previously it was because we had a basic research training and now, it's going to be the fieldwork (We'll be having interview sessions with teen-agers from an area about their knowledge, attitudes and practices when it comes to sex and reproductive health) and I am assigned at Iloilo National High School in Iloilo City, Province of Iloilo (parang tongue twister ah). It's about an hour travel from our place, La Carlota City, to the Bacolod City pier and an hour cruise from the Negros island. I think I'll be staying there for about 2 days or more (hopefully not more than 2). Thanks to tita for providing me a bed space in their house so, I'll not be spending much for lodging.

I hope you guys won't leave my blog hanging on a dead tree on a deserted island of skulls and rotten flesh. My archive is wide open for your clicks and comments while I can't create new posts. ha3 ;)

Hey, I hope you'll add me in your Technorati Favorites. It has been a month since I became a member of that community/directory but it was just yesterday (?) or the other day that I embeded the link button. But EWAY (imitating Andianka's way of writing ANYWAY), i'm hoping that you'll click on this link and fave me. (ha3 I'm getting more shameless than ever!).

I also customized my feed button to make it more apparent. It's kind chaotic if I look at it. ha3 But eway, I'll just tweak it later. Like my posts? Why don't you subscribe to my feeds? ahihi (wala kang hiya quincy!)

I was also invited to join a new forum called Pinoy Blogger. Why don't you try it?

If you happen to scroll down a little more in my blog, you'll see my technorati authority stats and I was surprised when my technorati authority went abruptly high. It was 37 last week and now I have 58. Thank you so much to those who visits often. Maraming salamat talaga.

Have you heard or seen the 2k bloggers' site? I'm so happy that naka abot pa ko sa final slots nila. If you visit the site, you'll see the photo montage. Can you see me there? I attached the same photo as what you can see in my profile photo here in my blog. I'm one of those who were blessed for the last few free spots. ha3



I also joined the Good Blogs community, the You Comment I Reply and U Comment I follow movements. I joined them since I am really a sucker for comments because it surely feels good to know that your visitors are commenting on your posts. It makes me feel the interaction, the coversation and the affection with each blogger friends. That is why if you have noticed, I am threading my comment pages to further discuss things all about the post. Besides, it is really encouraging.

I hope you'll join the movements.

I'll end this with hopes that you'll be still be visiting despite my absence. (remember the archives. LOL)

Happy blogging everyone!

*People! People! People!

Are you special?

Remember: It took a Man to suffer extreme pain and death to pay for your sins. That is how special you are.

Human Experiment: Coke + Mentos = ???

This article with photos in sequence was sent to me through an e-mail. It told me that there was a little boy died in Brazil after eating MENTOS and drinking COCA-COLA (or PEPSI) together. One year before the same accident happened, another boy died in the same country.

The photos are taken during an experiment done by mixing Coca-Cola (or Coka-Cola Light) with MENTOS .

Check out what happens.





Maybe I need to know the facts behind this.

I posted this since I myself is eating Mentos (POLO's) and I also drink Coke. Fortunately, I swallowed these in seperate dates.

Here's a human experiment, by the way:




This may be truly dangerous or just deception. But it's better to be careful with your self eating MENTOS (POLO's) and drinking COCA-COLA or PEPSI together.

Will you repost this?

*Did you meet my first crush?

Remembering Dick and Rick Hoyt

Dick and Rick Hoyt are a father-and-son team from Massachusetts, USA. TOGETHER, they competed just about continuously in marathon races. And if they’re not in a marathon they are in a triathlon — that disheartening, almost superhuman, combination of 26.2 miles of running, 112 miles of bicycling, and 2.4 miles of swimming.

TOGETHER they have climbed mountains, and once trekked 3,770 miles across America.

It’s a remarkable record of exertion considering that Rick can't walk nor talk.

For the past several years Dick, who is 65, has pushed and pulled his son across the country and over hundreds of finish lines. When Dick runs, Rick is in a wheelchair that Dick is pushing. When Dick cycles, Rick is in the seat-pod from his wheelchair, attached to the front of the bike. When Dick swims, Rick is in a small but heavy, firmly stabilized boat being pulled by Dick. TOGETHER, Dick is the body and Rick is the heart.

It has been a story of exclusion when Rick was born in 1962. He was then 8 months old when the doctors told Dick to put Rick away because he'd be a vegetable all his life, that sort of thing.

But Dick is a true father. He disagreed with what the doctor told them to do, sent Rick back home and raised him just like any normal child.

Dick and Rick Hoyt inspired many people accross the planet including Presidents and many elites.

TOGETHER, let us remember their plight. Let us remember that TOGETHER we CAN if only we will make up our hearts and minds. Let us remember one great LOVE a father has given to a SON.

So far, this is the only youtube video that made me cry for several times. I know I was not the first one cry over this and I believe that I am not the last.

*My father's 6th Death Anniversary

Reviving the Nation

My late father's younger brother, Engr. John Erisima Tampo, was speaker during my secondary education Alma Mater's 60th Graduation Exercises last April 4, 2007.

Tito John, as I call him, is currently the Project Manager of Southeast Asia Food Inc. (SAFI) He finished his studies in secondary and tertiary level as a State Scholar of our city.

Now living in La Paz, Iloilo City, Tito has a loving wife, Tita Inday and has 2 sons and a daughter (obviously my cousins) John, Fredeliz Irene Rowena and Cid Henry Erickson. (I'm so blessed to have them part of my family.)

Tito talked on ways on Reviving the Nation through simple steps.

Here's what he told the 2007 graduates of Doña Hortencia Salas Benedicto National High School, the home of Luiji John Karlo M. Suarez, the Organization Awards Winner of the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance, Lemelson Foundation Award during the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair held at Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA on May 13-19, 2007.

Reading this somehow filled up my ignorance on many issues that are currently pandemoniac in our Filipino nation.

I personally thank Tito for these words.

This may take a few minutes of your time but I tell you, it's worth it.

REVIVING THE NATION

The Vision

Where do we go from here? Where must the Philippines be ten, fifteen years from now?
We must be afraid to dream of a country which is free of poverty by the year 2020.
We have to make a decision to solve this problem in our generation.
This translates to two million Filipino getting out of the poverty trap every year.
Can this be done? Yes, this can be done. Is there hope? Yes there is. How do we do this?

My dear graduates, parents, teachers, education officials, local government executives, fellow alumni, fellow students, classmates and friends may I humbly offer a simple step by step strategy.

First, we must put our selves in order and change the world's perception of the Filipino.

To do this, we must change our value system. We need to have a value-driven educational system anchored on love of God, country, and fellowmen.

We must reform the elector process and ensure that only men and women of impeccable integrity will be in the commission on Elections. Men and women who know how to count and cannot be bought. Who have only the present and future welfare of the Filipinos in their hearts and nothing else.

We must educate the electorate so that politicians can no longer fool us.

We must eliminate graft and corruption in government. From the President of the Philippines to the lower clerk. From Malacañang to the Barangay Hall. We need an honest government.

Our government must do what is right and good for the people without expecting to be bribed and without extorting money from the citizens. We have paid you enough with our hard earned taxes. We need not pay you anything extra anymore.

We need to abolish the pork barrel for congressman and senators. Their job is to craft laws, to see that these implemented, and where weakness and problem exist, to strengthen these laws. It is not there job to build waiting sheds, foot walks, roads, schoolhouses, and buy medicines. We have the DPWH, DepED, DSWD, and the DOH to do all these. We do not need a duplication of these functions.

Public office is public trust, according to Henry Ford I.

We need to change first.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said: "What lies behind us, and what lies ahead of us, are small things compared to what lies within us."

We need to build our character first. We must put our selves in order.

Second, we must put our house in order and attract investments.

We need to clean our backyard.

We need to clean our communities, roads, drainage system and public place and keep them clean.

We need to minimize waste, segregate them, do our best to recycle, and dispose of our garbage properly.

We need to clean our rivers and seas and stop dumping garbage on them.

We need to stop denuding our forests and start planting trees instead.

We need to clean and protect our mangroves and coral reefs.

We need to stop crime, drug addiction and trafficking, urban blight.

We need to invest in social as well as physical infrastructure.

We need to abolish the pork barrel for congressman and senators. It is not there job to build waiting sheds, foot walks, roads, schoolhouses, and buy medicines.

We need to effectively address the needs of the orphans, homeless, the aged, and the disabled.

We need to separate the weak from the able-bodied.

We must take care of the weak and the sickly but we must provide the able-bodied with fresh opportunities for a productive life.

We need to invest in power, transportation, and communication infrastructure.

We need more power generation transmission capacity in order to bring down the cost of power in country.

We need to improve the quality of the roads, bridges, seaport and airports.

We need to balance the national budget. We can do this if we can stop graft and corruption, maximize revenue collection, and exercise prudence in spending.

If we do all these, increase foreign direct investment and tourism, both on a sustainable bases, will nit, far from behind. With added investment, employment will increase and morale will improve. These will lead to better productivity, which leads to better profit, which lead to higher government revenues, and therefore increase level for infrastructure. And the economy will get better and better.

Last but not the least, we must put our tools in order.

Our tools are our knowledge and competence. Our Agriculture. Our Industry. Our Services.

In this third strategic step, we need an educational system that can improve science and mathematics instruction.

Education is one of the powerful social invention against poverty. Innovative educational program instill in the student the power to hope and the desire to make a difference by using gifts to benefit others. To benefit the community and nation.

"Walang sinuman and nabubuhay, para sa sarili lamang,
Walang sinuman and namamatay, para sa sarili lamang;
Tayong lahat ay may pananagutan sa isa't isa.
Tayong lahat ay tinipon ng Diyos, na kapiling N'ya."

We need to focus more on science, engineering and technology that convert the knowledge and competence of our workforce from the basic to the more advance know how and skill this nation needs in order to add more and more value to our resources, products and services.

We need to produce more brilliant scientists and engineers. By sharpening our skills, we can produce more rice, more corn, more sugar from our declining agriculture lands and globally competitive costs.

By sharpening our know how, we can run our industries more efficiently and productivity, producing products and world-class quality we can export. Products we can label, "Proudly Made in the Philippines."

By technology and innovation, we can improve the competitiveness of our services sector. In the global market, it is only through productivity, quality value, and innovation that we can compete.

This would mean better profit in industry, which will result to higher government revenues, further resulting to better infrastructure, and further improving the investment attractiveness of the nation.

The Challenge

Dear graduates, whatever field it will be you want to pursue, I challenge you to pursue it the you can by working as hard as you can, always cognizant of the fact that your nation needs us. The challenge I gave you and everybody listing tonight is a long and difficult process.

"The woods are sleepy, dark and deep.
But I have a promise to keep.
And miles to go before I sleep.
And miles to go before I sleep."

But we need to start the process of putting our selves in order, putting our house in order, and putting our tools in order. And we need to start NOW.

For ourselves, our families, and our nation and in the process, glorify GOD.

Our nation needs a leader with a vision for a better quality of life for Filipinos. A leader with the courage to do whatever it takes no matter what the cost to his prison. The competence to discern good from bad, right from wrong.

The character to stay the course no matter the threats, the obstacles, the risk.

"A nation without heroes is a sad nation, a nation without a leader is a sadder nation."

If we do not have the leadership now, just looking at this batch of graduates of 2007 tells me we will have the leadership in the near future.

Therefore dear graduates, dream to make a difference. For he is not the man who does not improve his part of the world.

Some of you might want to become doctors, nurses, teachers, engineers, architects, dentists, lawyer and accountants.

Do not just dream of becoming a doctor or a nurse. Dream of inspiring and giving hope to the sick and the hopeless.

Do not just dream of becoming an accountant. Dream of bringing wealth to this nation.

Do not just dream of becoming an architect. Dream of beautifying our country.

Do not just dream of becoming a dentist. Dream of bringing close-up smile and colgate smile. Dream of bringing about dental health.

Do not just dream of becoming a lawyer. Dream of fighting for what is right. Dream of standing up for justice and equality.

Do not just dream of becoming an engineer. Dream of improving the way people work, travel, communicate, and live. Dream of making this world a better place to live in.

Do not just dream of becoming a teacher. Dream of transforming lives.^