Hamlet will be here in Sta. Cruz, Laguna

To be or not to be: that is the question:Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to sufferThe slings and arrows of outrageous misfortune,Or to take arms against the sea of troubles,And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;No more; and by a sleep to say we end*
William Shakespeare's Hamlet is one of his famous works. It's a story of a prince of Denmark whose father was murdered by his own uncle. He then spends most of his life in revenge of his father's death.
The Seventh Stage Production House is bringing this play here in Sta. Cruz, Laguna. At the Pedro Guevara Memorial National High School Multi-purpose Gym on December 4 and 5, 2010, there will be two shows: 10:00 am and 2:00 pm.
Tickets are at Php150.00 each.

Fudge De Leon in Hamlet

The play is directed by Mel Magno and features our very own Fudge De Leon together with JC Cuadrado, Mikel Campos as Prince Hamlet. With them are Orly De Dios, Juan Carlo Tarobal and Mondrian Sampang.
This is the sword fight scene taken from one of their performances.

Please send me a message for inquiries about the tickets.
**Video and Images are used with permission from Fudge De Leon.*William Shakespeare - To be or not to be (from Hamlet 3/1)

Read more...

The tank is still standing.

I was out the whole day yesterday.  But it was good because the weather was cool.  This is what I love the ber months for.  A little windy and the breeze is not like coming from things like the oven or a vent.

Anyway, I promised in one of my entries that I'll take a picture of the capitol's new face once it was done.  I missed taking the picture of the front side yesterday.  But I think what I found out is more worthwhile to note at this point.  The front side will come a little later when I have to go there again Thursday next week.  Help me wish for a flat light so I can get another good picture.

As the title, says, the tank is still standing.  I intentionally included the tank because I think it's already a landmark.  This is noteworthy because since I was young, I have seen this tank at the back of the hospital and somewhere along the capitol grounds.  I also know that this tank was never filled with water since I can remember and in fact, there were some urban legends I heard about it.  Thirty years have passed since.  And I wonder if it's been there for more than that.

Anyway.

What I really wanted to show you is the fountain and what used to be there.  If you're from Sta. Cruz, Laguna, you should know the place behind the old capitol building we simply call cultural back in those days.  This structure is circular with a stage and a little canteen on the side.  Back then, students practice their dance routines and other cultural presentations on this building and have a snack at the store.

Then, it was torn down and became a parking space.

Now, a fountain stands there.

Read more...

Rafflesia Leonardi

Rafflesia Leonardi is the biggest flower here in the Philippines and third largest flower in the world.  This flower is found in Luzon here in the Philppines.  It is a parasitic plant species that belong to the genus Rufflesia.  Julie Barcelona, a botanist working on Philippine ferns and rafflesia, and her colleagues, named this flower after the Filipino botanist, Dr. Leonardo Co.

Last Saturday, Leonardo Co returned home, after years of hiking the mountains and the woods studying plant life.  But Leonardo came home in a coffin, with his coworkers, friends and family crying for justice.  Leonardo Co and four of his companions were allegedly caught in a crossfire between the Armed Forces of the Philippnes and the New People's Army somewhere in Kananga, Leyte last November 15, 2010.  Co and three others were killed.

Julie Barcelona, a botanist who had named "one of the most beautiful rafflesia " after Co, said that he once told her, "My worth and the things I have done will be appreciated more after I'm dead."  Barcelona recalled Co as saying.

Instead of a featured Lagunian today, I chose to point the spotlight to Leonard Co, a Filipino botanist and taxonomist.

What he said is actually one of one of my purposes why I created this blog.  I want celebrate the lives of those people in our neighborhood, here in Sta. Cruz, Laguna, who work not only to make a living but also to be of service to the community.  And I wanted to do that while I can still talk to the person, and not in circumstances like this where I only have to rely on what is written about him/her and what they do.

While we await the justice for the deaths of people like Leonardo Co, I choose to celebrate the lives of the people in our neighborhood who, in those small deeds that they do, made our lives a little better and easier.  

**Image copied from this website.

Read more...

I paid my bills and got a ticket.

This is the time of the month that we need to settle these things.  And to save a few pesos, I just pay the electric and phone bill in one place, at the Western Union at A. Regidor St., where Mam Lina heads the polite staff of the office.

Just in case you didn't know, they accept payments for Meralco and PLDT bills.  With PLDT though, there's an extra charge of Php7.00.  That's just fine with me.  With Meralco, there's no extra charge to do the payment.

And this time, I get to have two free raffle tickets.  The grand prize would be Php100,000.00 and there were consolation prizes.  Mam Lina says it's their way of giving their Christmas gift to their patrons.

There.  That's two tickets and two chances to win some loot.  I'm crossing my fingers.

Then, I'm off to the public market to get some stuffs when I felt like playing lotto.

This is how long I have to wait before my turn.  When I got to the window and placed my bet and paid, the guy returned my extra Php5.00.  He says it's just Php10.00.  Oh, I didn't know that.  I thought it was Php15.00.  Then, I found out it's 6/45 today and not the elusive 6/55.  But still, the pot today is about Php20 million.  It's worth waiting before 20 people on this line.

Now, I have two reasons to cross my fingers.

Read more...

Remember, this will be next week.

Apollo and Irene.
They met and fell in love... at second sight? At third sight?
For some reason, their love fell apart and when they found their way back to each other, to Irene, Apollo's face is just another face in the crowd.
Will Apollo be able to help Irene recall the past? Or would Irene totally fall in love with Apollo again as he tries to pursue her and give her the best times of her life?
Let's find out what happens to the funny love story of Apollo and Irene.
Next week, My Amnesia Girl will be showing at The Sunstar Mall Cinemas. And I'm one of those who look forward to it.

Read more...

I felt like a kid and liked it.

Some of you may have the list of your inaanaks already.  Some are just about done and some are already thinking of doing some pre-Christmas shopping.

I was at the Sunstar Mall this afternoon for a meeting with the manager of Pandayan Bookshop and he showed me around the store.

There were a lot of gift ideas and suggestions for this coming season.  I got interested with this boxed game above and since there was a sample, we opened the box because I wanted to see what's inside.  It was a simple puzzle made up of a few square pieces.  Because we both wanted to see the whole picture, we tried to do the puzzle together.  It was fun although I must admit that we took a little time to figure out which piece goes where.  I think this is a good brain exercise for the kids, and it will help them develop their logic just by playing.  I must admit that while putting the pieces together, I felt like a kid and liked it.

After finishing with the puzzle, this one caught my attention.

This should teach the kids to save at a very early age.  And you can get a pair for just the price of that much.  Not a bad idea for a gift I should say.  Because when I was a kid, I have always wanted to get one of those piggy banks, but never did.  I guess during those times, piggy banks come only in figurines and a little expensive.  And I noticed, nowadays, they call it coin banks.  Well, it's kinda awkward if we still call it a piggy bank.

If you are about to start buying Christmas gifts, I suggest you visit their store.  They have a lot of gift items that  might fit those that you are looking for for your inaanaks and friends.

Read more...

It's time to show their talents.

On Saturday, those 16 Gs and 14 Ls will show off their talents at the activity area of the Sunstar Mall.  This is their opportunity to give it their best shot and convince us that he or she is the one who deserves to be the winner.

This time, we'll see what they got and if they really have the talent.

Don't forget, this Saturday, 20 November, 2010, at 3:00 pm.  See you there!

Read more...

They didn't give me what I wanted.

I had to go for some errands yesterday. I returned a book that was long overdue. I borrowed it from one of the best hairdressers here in town. While I has having a short conversation, my sister told me to ask Larry how much it would cost me to have my hair colored. I was surprised of what he told me. He said that having my hair colored would just make all the white hairs come out.

Then, the next errand would be to buy this stuff that I would need in one of my recipes. It's the kind that you won't just find in supermarkets and sari-sari stores so I had to find the store that has it on their stock. After a few stores, I was led by one store-owner friend to Patok, which is one of the famous Chinese stores here in our town ever since I was young. The store was busy. I can see that all of the crews were attending to either a person at the counter or an order slip that needs to be done. I went directly to the owner and asked the ingredient. He told me that they don't sell those, but it didn't stop from there. He told me some facts about the thing that I was looking for. The advantages and disadvantages of using it.

Don't you just like it when you are treated this way by these business people? This tells me that they are not just there to make money. They are there to serve people, too.

Take the hairdresser. Yesterday, a friend of ours paid us a visit and we noticed her hair. She told us that it was actually a disaster. Her hair was 'rebonded' just two weeks ago, and from the looks of it, it looked like it was already six months old. She told us that she thinks she was just dooped by the hairdresser to make some money from her, and that maybe true. But the hairdresser whom I asked to dye my hair chose to be honest to me and not do the job because of the possible effects after doing so.

But anyhow, it just feels good that somehow, people like these still exists in our town to give us what we need and to serve us as honest and receptive people. They didn't give me what I wanted, but it's because what I wanted might not work.

Read more...

Are you looking for one of these?

If you are looking for one of these, then check out Clara's Online Kiosk.  If you're buying this before from eBay, I'm sure you're also paying for the shipping.  So, now, here in Sta. Cruz, Laguna, you could ask for a meet-up to get one of these skin whitening soaps with no extra shipping cost.  This is because this business is based here in Sta. Cruz, Laguna, so all you have to do is go to the site and you can do meet-ups instead of paying for the shipping.  And, if you don't like to meet, it can be delivered to your house.

Read more...

Theodore Day Salonga: A traditional chef in modern times

Chef Day.

Day and I have a common interest. We used to play badminton. We met five years ago at the court, but those clears, smashes, lobs and aces only tell a little about him. Clad in his dry fits, he looked like a sporty, easy-go-lucky kind of a guy. But ask him about his passion, and you'll know more about him.

I visited his company's website, mondaychefs.com. It told me those academic achievements that those dry fits, sets and matches didn't tell me. A graduate of La Salle and a lot of different courses taken from different schools like the American Hospitality Academy, his resume speaks for itself. After all those achievements I read on his profile, I know Day have gone a long way and is set to go even further.

He traveled and continuously travels Asia to discover its rich culture on food. He may have gone to China to learn to cook pancit bihon the Chinese way, or to Thailand to know all about Thai Cuisine, but his heart always goes back to Laguna. He loves Laguna. A Lagunian who wants the Laguna Cuisine to be recognized, not just in our country but the whole world as well. He believes that our cuisine deserves to share the seat with the already famous Pampanga Cuisine.

In this day and age, Day keeps up with the world. You'll see him at Twitter and Facebook updating us using the latest gadgets he can lay his hands on. But deep within him lies a traditional chef with a huge passion for cooking, food and celebrating life. He takes pride of our heritage and wants to share and promote our roots and tradition.

Just recently, he created a personal blog, Chef By Day. In this blog, he shares tradition. Recipes that were maybe even older than him, perfected by his mother through perseverance and experience, long before he even saw light on this earth. Some were his own, a product of learning and experimenting.

As a person with a desire to live this dream, he opened the doors of his home to Foodies who are into culinary tours like him. Located at Bgy. Duhat, Sta. Cruz, Laguna, Our Heritage Cuisine is his way of sharing his passion in traditional Tagalog cuisine. Strictly by reservations, one can experience an entirely different and anuthentic concept of traditional Tagalog cuisine - Day's advocacy. As the write-up said:

"OUR HERITAGE CUISINE offers authentic Southern Tagalog cuisine. It lives up to the hype of offering the finest yet nature-inspired dining. The ambience serves to highlight the difference between urban noise, dirt and hassle versus the nature's calm. One does not only experience dining with nature but tasting the ingredients the local farmers have harvested, thus, giving that authentic taste. As diners get to spoon feed, they get to help out sustain the farmers' livelihood."

Currently, he also shares his cooking skills by giving lessons in his home here in Sta. Cruz, Laguna. He says that this is one of his ways of paying it forward to the community. And he's proud to say that he shares his knowledge of traditional recipes from scratch... and no shortcuts. He is a contributor of Cook Magazine. He is a consultant to bars, restaurants and other established food companies.

When asked about his greatest achievements, I was awed by his humble answer. He didn't talk about awards, certificates, recognitions and all. He says that he doesn't usually focus on achievements. It is more on the journey and the process... the things learned. But the greatest would be staying true to his Laguna roots, the acknowledgement and respect he earned from colleagues, and last and the most important thing of all, living his dreams.

Nowadays, Day laid low in playing badminton. He says he's not the athletic chef I met five years ago. Initially, I thought that just like the other players, Day might have gotten too much of it. But when I asked him why he's not playing anymore, I was blown away with what I discovered.

One thing that many people like me do not know is that Day is a survivor. Three years ago, he was diagnosed with a rare muscle dis-ease. But he wanted to live, he chose to live. He fought, survived and is now living his dreams. Still recovering from the dis-ease, he is now happy that he is alive and continues to celebrate life.

He told me that this is the first time he talked about this personal detail out in the open. Only a very few people knew about this because he didn't want to dwell on it and didn't want people to take pity on him. He allowed me to write about this because right now, he doesn't care about those anymore. All he wanted now is to continue to live his dream - cooking, and to be an inspiration after having survived the rare dis-ease.

Thedore Day Salonga. Atraditional chef in modern times. A survivor. An inspiration.

Read more...

If raindrops were laser beams, I'm a dead meat.

Mid-way through the mass, the rain poured, and it was hard. The sound it made as it hit the roofs of whatever was what confirmed the downpour.

It was good to walk around town after the mass because the rain finally stopped.  We stopped by the chapel of Ina ng Awa for a visit and as we were snaking through A. Regidor, the rain started to pour again.

We were on our way to the public market.  And to protect us from getting wet, we decided to go inside the market place to take us down to the other side.  This means that we have to pass by the textile section.  I was surprised to see that there were only a few stalls open.  My sister and I were wondering if it is just because it was a Sunday or if they are permanently closed at all.  As we slowly walk through, there were holes in the roof that made water fall in at some parts of the market.  There was a small walk through that I had to squeeze myself over, and I told my sister that if these raindrops were laser beams like in the movie, Mission Impossible, I'm already a dead meat.  And we both laughed.

If you grew up in this town, you will remember the carinderia section.  It's like in the middle of the whole place and that's where all the food stores are.  I was a little surprised to see that the only store standing there was the then-famous Lourdes Halo-halo.  During high school, it was rival with the Ideal halo-halo and eating there is considered a treat.

I was kind of nostalgic about this short trip inside our palengke.  It is interesting to know that there were a lot of changes.  It was disappointing to see that those stores that have always been there as I grew up have disappeared, and it was inspiring to see that even during these hard times, those stores that were there are still standing in spite of the crisis that the whole world is facing.

Your Ad Here

Read more...

This isn't about Laguna, but...

I know many of you will find this interesting. Because, even I, myself, who is not much of a fan of Harry Potter find this thing interesting.

Twelve years ago, as a reply to a fan mail, J.K. Rowling wrote back and told him that there will be seven books on the Harry Potter series.

Read more...

Who Are You, People?

Even before I started featuring teachers, this song was what I had in mind as I conceptualized this blog.  Because as a kid who grew up watching Sesame Street, this is one of the segments that was very significant for me.  Wala pang Kuya Bodgie noon.  And I like this better than the Electric Company.

So, starting this week, on Tuesdays, I'll be alternately featuring people from our neighborhood with the teachers.  And again, I call to you, my readers, let me know if you have someone in mind that I can feature here in my site just like the teachers.

Read more...

Jigsaw Won The Scrapbooking Starter Kit

Just as I was excited about the last giveaway, I couldn't wait to draw this one.

So,  Jigsaw, you won the kit!  Congratulations!

I am a bit happier with this draw than the last one.  With over a hundred readers who viewed this contest alone, 22 people decided to join my giveaway, small as it is.  Well, as they say, everything has to start small.

I am still working on some giveaways and I am working hard to make it bigger as time goes by.

But in the meantime, Jigsaw, please e-mail me your name and mobile number at admin@lagunalife.org.  I will send you a message with the confirmation code which you need to claim your prize at the Pandayan Bookshop.  Oh, and be prepared to have a picture taken with our friends from the store.

Again, thank you to all those who joined!

Read more...

Kilig To The Bones

Who will forget this expression?  I believe this was coined during the 1980's when Victoria was just a teenage Hotshot and Papang was doing straight roles (he's remarkable being gay, by the way).  The jejemons might not be using this anymore, but many of us still use this phrase even if it's just of fun or pun.

But we may all be blessed well for being bilingual.  This study said Bilingualism delays onset of Alzheimer's and aren't most of us speak a little or more of English?  Even our lolos and lolas are perfectly understood even if they only speak carabao English.  Oh, how I admire the older generation for being able to converse in English even better than most of the younger generation.  To think that the younger gen has more references.  (Well, I choose to belong to the 80's gen which I will call the mid-gen, for middle generation.)

Anyway.  Still with the language.

I remember when I was just starting this blog, someone who wanted to comment asked me if she can do it in Tagalog (or Filipino).  I said, "Oo naman."  The reason why this blog is generally English is because of the subscriptions and other stuffs that I added.  They always asked, "what is the major language of your blog?" and it should be in English to comply and be approved.  But it never said that we cannot use our language.  And nowadays, we already have the "Translate" button.

But the thing is, I have always admired those people who are very good in English and even better in written and spoken Tagalog (or Filipino).  My take is there is nothing like your mother tongue.  When I was working at a call center, my colleagues and I couldn't wait for our shifts to end because by that time, we can finally speak Tagalog.  When I was in Dubai, we excuse ourselves (this is very important) from other nationalities when we wanted to say something to each other in our language because sometimes, we can express ourselves more if we use our native tongue.  Some statements are better articulated and better understood, too.

So, with the news that I linked, I guess it's about time we know some of our Filipino conjugations.  When do we use the words 'daw' and 'raw' and 'din' and 'rin?'  I admit it:  what I only know that we use RAW when the word ends in vowels, and DAW when the word ends in consonants.  But I saw this longer version from Dene Gomez's wall.

Sa mga salitang nagtatapos sa patinig at mga titik [W] at [Y], ginagamit ang RIN at RAW.

     Halimbawa:  Ako raw ang nagsabi.
                         Ikaw raw ang nagsabi.

At sa mga salitang nagtatapos sa katinig, DIN at DAW naman.

     Halimbawa:  Bakit daw hindi mo sinabi agad.
                         Sa susunod daw, sasabihin mo agad.

Pero, pag ang mga salita ay nagtatapos sa RA, RE, RI, RO, RU, RAY at RAW, ginagamit din ang DIN at DAW.
  
     Halimbawa:  Sa Peru daw nakatira ang mga Inca.
                         Wag kang mag-alala, aaraw din yan bukas.
                         Si Kiray daw pala yong kontrabida sa Mara Clara.
                         Ang may-ari daw non ay taga-Maynila.

Read more...

Mid-Week News Notes vol. II

~ Dolphy was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the president who wore yellow. Remember that he campaigned for the one wearing orange?

~ An analyst said that "only one lucky punch can beat Pacquiao."

~ The news is all about Manny Pacquiao and his chartered plane; Mommy Dionisia's flight yadda, yadda, yadda. But did you know that Marie Antonette San Diego, a Filipina, just won the gold at the Asian Primary School Sports Olympiad?

~ The jackpot on 6/55 proved to be evasive. They predict that the pot will rise up to Php 375 M by tonight. Now, we're competing with the senators, saying that if they won, they will give a portion to charitable institutions. Sigh.

~ Yesterday was the Feast of the dedication of the church, or feast of the church. Trivia: the church of Pila, Laguna is already 200 years old and is one of the oldest and most beautiful churches here in our country.

~ There are still four typhoons expected before the typhoon season ends. So, let us remain to be vigilant. Meanwhile, the Laguna PNP came up with an improvised boat made up of scrap woods, metals, plastic, etc., to aid our town, Sta. Cruz, Laguna in times of flood. I want to see this boat.

~ The red tide is up. So, be careful when buying seafoods.

~ I heard there is a lantern-making contest here in Sta. Cruz, Laguna. The contest will be between barangays.

~ Michael Jackson has a new single. Do you believe it's him singing? Even her sister La Toya Jackson questions its authenticity.

Read more...

My Teacher, My Artist: Teacher Luz Jamisola Romero

"Ang mga bata, pumapasok sa eskuwela nakikita ko inosenteng-inosente, pero at the end of the day, pag-uwi nila, they learned something new, they learned something from me.  They learned something that they would carry for the rest of their lives.  That, for me, is an achievement that is priceless."

Teacher Luz.

She was my music teacher in grades V and VI.  What I remember most about her is that she always starts a song with a pitch pipe in her hand, brings it on her lips to let us hear the right pitch.

Her dream was to be a nurse.  She didn't want to teach.  But like many of us, we just take what we can afford and be contented with it.    "I didn't fall in love with teaching the moment I got out of college" was how she remembers it.  But what she knows is that her heart beats for music.  It is a home for those notes, clefs and bits and do re mi's.

Her first teaching experience was in a barrio.  Living in the town of Pagadian City, Teacher Luz was fifteen to twenty minutes away from the school where she taught, and that is by banca.  She said she was very happy during these boat rides that take her to and from school.  She looks forward to the time where she enjoyed the breeze and the calm of the waters.

In front of Grade I pupils at the Bomba Primary School in Zamboanga, she started to sing one of her songs.    Then, all of a sudden, one student stood up and said, "Mam, para po kayong singer sa radyo."  The kid looked so mesmerized and overwhelmed that she was so happy that she made the kid felt that way by her voice.

After one year, she was transferred to Balangasan Central School where she was asked to teach pre-school from 8:00-11:00.  Then immediately after, she handles intermediate pupils from 11:00-5:00 pm.  She couldn't tell exactly when she fell in love with teaching, but she said she thinks it was just within her first year.  I told her it might be the boat rides but she just smiled.

The start of the fight between the rebels and the government forced her to evacuate.  Her sister, who was already teaching here in Sta. Cruz, Laguna, invited her to stay and start her life here, and that's exactly what happened.

She started teaching at the Sta. Cruz Central Elementary School in 1975 and retired in 2004.  All in all, Teacher Luz dedicated 41 years of teaching, and her forte is music and arts.

"It takes a music teacher to teach music.  It's all about passion and it is very subjective.  You may not know it, but the kids can tell if you are not teaching with your heart."

Her achievements in her whole teaching career are all in line with her passion in music and the arts.  She was the "Songbird of Zamboanga" before she moved here in Laguna.  She was asked to teach not only songs but hawaiian and folk dances and was even a mentor for the Zamboanga del Sur Cultural Troop.  Her music supervisor used her voice in the "Recorded and Prescribed Songs found in the textbooks, "Halina't Umawit at Gumuhit."  Teachers in Laguna use these tapes in teaching songs to students from grades one to five.  She's been to many places like Siquijor, Cotabato and different places here in Laguna.  But her most memorable was not on the stage or any event to accept the awards.  It was in the corners of her room and almost every day.

"Ako naman naniniwala ako na walang taong sintunado, hindi lang sila nate-train to hear and sing the right notes."

There was one Friday that I gave a music assignment over the weekend.  It was a difficult song from their textbook entitled, "Salidumay" in notes.  I only unlocked the difficult phrases for them and asked them to study the song.  "You know Clara, hanggang ngayon, kinikilabutan ako pag naalala ko yon.  The kids were able to sing the song, to think that the notes were difficult.  I felt so accomplished."

Teaching the arts is also difficult.  She says that in poster-making contests, sometimes, it's not only how good the drawing is.  It's how the kids interpret the theme in their minds and how they put it down in images.  You have to teach them how to interpret themes, and I ask you, 'how easy is that?'  If you guys remember, Sta. Cruz Central was also very famous for winning the arts contests, too.

When asked about the problems and pressures she encountered in her whole teaching career, I was surprised when she said, "Teaching itself is never a problem.  There was never a problem.  In fact, ask me to teach the whole day and I will gladly do it.  The only thing that gives me the pressure is the paper works.  But I never had any problems with teaching."

These days, she's enjoying the rewards of retirement.  She has a son and a daughter who are both busy with their careers.  Her son, Mark Lawrence is mostly out of town doing field works as a chemist, and her daughter, Jackielou Joan is in Manila and works as a medical transcriptionist.

Her last story for me about teaching was when she was asked to be a substitute teacher for two weeks for the star section whose adviser had to go on a sick leave.  That was an honor for me to be asked to handle them.  But I declined.  I thought about those children in my six classes.  They all will suffer for two weeks.  I told them, "I am sorry but I won't do that.  That is only one section and those children from that section can easily catch up when their teacher comes back.  Mas kailangan ako ng mga estudyante ko dito sa six classes ko."  For me, this is a remarkable thing to do, if not heroic.

In spite of all the stress brought about by teaching, I find ballroom dancing as a way to relax.  I find it the most rewarding activity. It renews me and refreshes my spirit to get back to teaching the following day.

Teacher Luz.  My Teacher, My Hero this Tuesday.

Like Teacher Anna Liz, Teacher Abbie and Teacher Nancy, Teacher Luz will also receive the Kaibigan Card - Guro Edition courtesy of Pandayan Bookshop.

Read more...

Two Questions

I got two questions about this site today.  One looks promising and the other one is about my previous post.  A very good question raised, indeed.

Why did I post something about Bohol when I am celebrating Laguna life?  And some of you, dear readers, might have asked, too.

I posted that because I found that it deserves to be known.  We all will travel if we are given an opportunity and going to places in the Philippines should be the priority.  This is the reason why I posted something about Bohol.

The other question is very encouraging and it was actually on my mind for a while now.  I am also looking for people - aside from teachers - who I can feature on this blog.  I already have a draft for a chef and a few people is already on my mind.  I am just looking for the right time to get an appointment for a cup of kapeng barako with them.

So, if you know someone who is willing to be featured and won't stood me up when I finally get an appointment, please drop me a note and I'll try to pursue them.  At this point, let me thank you all for visiting the site now and then and taking time to read my posts.

By the way, as exciting as it was on Mondays, I will have another featured teacher for tomorrow.  So, please continue to read and know more about these people who help make our lives easier.

Read more...

A Place of Solitude

Praying underwater in Bohol.

If you're planning to visit Bohol, don't forget to check out this place.  That is, if you do not have a fear of water or underwater exploration.

Literally and figuratively, this is where you could pray deep.

I can imagine the serenity and solitude if you can go  underwater; free from all those noise.  The silence of being down there could give us peace and focus on our prayers.

The statement said, "(The underwater grotto was created so that) No man can destroy it for the sake of the future generation."

Read more...

Beyond

It's a beautiful Sunday morning today.

The sky is clear and the clouds are just fantastic.

But I have always wondered what lies beyond.  I once told a few of my childhood friends that I wanted to be an astronaut...  and back then, I never knew the difference between an astronaut and an astronomer.

But never mind, this is just one of those millions of things that lies beyond the clouds:  The Ghost Head Nebula.  A million light years away from Sta. Cruz, Laguna.

Read more...

36 MMFF 2010 - Rosario

Rosario.

Jesus Herrera-Fernandez will tell you the story of Rosario, his mother.

A film by Albert Martinez.

Based on a true story by Manny Pangilinan.

Read more...

A Happy, Rainy Afternoon

Rain is not an excuse.  Rain is fun.

I needed to go out this afternoon.  I was to meet my featured teacher for next Tuesday so that I can show her the draft of my article.

Sa jeep, it was fun.  There were several students (five maybe) who were chatting.  Someone said he was watching this show.  Another said, "Eh... Kaderder... di ako nanonood non."  Kaderder?  Is it the word they now use to say kadiri?  I find it kind of funny.  I think this is another jejemon word in the making, isn't it?

When the teens fell quiet, Manong Driver said, "Wait lang po  yong sukli ha.  Wala lang pong barya..."  I nearly burst out laughing.  Pati si Mamang Driver, pa-text na rin kung magsalita.... wait lang po ang sukli...

I got down where I was supposed to, did my errands and just had to walk, because it was too near to get a tricycle.  Then, of course, as Murphy's Law says, it rained.  But that wasn't a threat for me.  I always enjoyed it.  In fact, after a year of being here, I still miss it.

I met with Teacher Anna Liz and off we go to my featured teacher's house.  On our way, I saw this wood concept that I just can't resist but take a picture.

Teacher Anna Liz said, "Sige, baka mahulog camera mo."  I said, "No, I can do it.  Just please hold my umbrella for me.  Pasensiya ka na, pati ikaw, nadamay sa trip ko."

The whole afternoon was fun.  We had pancit bihon (which was so good) from Centralite's and yummy breads from Julie's.

Read more...

Excuse Me..

"Excuse me, but just a little bit of information, a lot of your countrymen are here in our country to learn English."

Okay. She apologized on her twitter account and an even detailed account of her interview is on a website called allkpop.com.

But I'm not going to take it as a misunderstanding. What is amusing to some people maybe offending to a lot more.

Read more...

I Have Another Giveaway!!!

I am giving away this cool scrapbooking starter kit!!!

This scrapbooking starter kit contains the following:

• paper sheets for scrapbooking
• bookplates
• journaling tags
• foam shapes with adhesives
• ribbons
• glue stick

All you need to do is comment on this post saying,

"Pandayan Bookshop: Kabalikat sa pag-aaral."

Mechanics:

• Leave a comment on this post using your alias. This means that you cannot use Anonymous (for obvious reasons). Anonymous comments will automatically be disqualified. This also means that you can have as many aliases as you want. Just make sure that no one hasn't used it yet before you.
• The contest will be up until midnight (that's 12:00 mn) of November 11, 2010. Yes, that's going to be Thursday next week.
• The winning entry will be based on the randomly generated number at the website www.random.org. Comment number 1 is entry number 1, comment number 2 is entry number 2, and so on. The number range will be from 1 to the number of entries received.
• The draw will be on November 12, 2010, Friday, at 8:00 a.m., and just like the previous contest, I will post a screen shot.
• This contest is open to residents of Sta. Cruz, Laguna or nearby towns, or as long as you can go to Pandayan Bookshop Sunstar Mall to claim your prize.

If you've read this far, then start leaving your comment now.

Good Luck!

This contest is brought to you by our friends from Pandayan Bookshop.

Read more...

Word Of The Day

Sigarilyas - Winged bean

Read more...

16 Gs and 14 Ls

They were introduced when the XBGensan group performed at the Sunstar Mall last Friday, October 29,2010. Now, we are going to see more of them as they show off their talent and beauty.

The Search for Mr. and Miss Sunstar Mall 2010 has started. There are 16 gentlemen and 14 ladies that will be vying for the crown.

On Saturday, November 6,2010 at 3:00pm, the official opening of the search will start at the Sunstar Mall activity center.

This will be another fun-filled afternoon at the mall.

*Image used with permission from the Sunstar Mall Management.

Read more...

My Kabalikat in Honoring the Teachers

This has been a very good day.

After a busy morning talking to several people, my afternoon was reserved previously in talking to another teacher who I will feature next Tuesday. Watch out for it because this is as exciting as the previous teachers.

While I was waiting for them, I had a talk with Dreo who is the manager of Pandayan Bookshop at the Sunstar Mall and it has been a very good conversation.

Dreo is giving free Kaibigan cards Guro Edition to those teachers that I have featured here in my blog. This Kaibigan card for teachers entitles them to a 5% discount on all their purchases at no minimum purchase.

Kaibigan cards is actually a campaign by the Pandayan Bookshop to give discounts to (a) teachers and (b) office employees. There is an application fee to get the card. The card entitles the teachers to a 5% discount with no minimum purchase while for office employees, there is a minimum purchase to avail of the discount.

Teachers and office employees are all invited to apply for the Kaibigan cards. For more details, please visit their stores located at the Sunstar Mall and P. Burgos Street, or you can call them at the Sunstar Mall at 501-1256.

It's good to know that Pandayan Bookshop is also doing their share in honoring the teachers and their hard work. And it's even better to have them give away these cards to Teacher Anna Liz, Teacher Abbie and Teacher Nancy. This is our small token of appreciation to the teachers who helped us build our lives and achieve our dreams.

Read more...

Mid-Week News Notes

~ You have to get out early and place your bets.  The pot today on super lotto's 6/55 could go as high as Php302 million and you can be the winner - or share it with someone else.  Whatever... winning is still winning!

~ There were 19 accidents noted from Nov 1 to Nov 2.  How many of these accidents involved motorcycles?  I think I can name five.

~ There is a plan to light up the main streets of Sta. Cruz, Laguna using solar-powered cells.

~ Tom Cruise is in Dubai shooting another "Mission Impossible." I am sure there will be a lot of stunts that will be shot at the Burj Dubai Khalifa.

~ The Philippine Rugby team did not make it to the Borneo 7s Finals held in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.  Yes, there is a Philippine Rugby Team.  They are called the Philippine Volcanoes.  Jessica Zafra was there with the guys and covered everything in her blog.

~ One of the president's staff is now on fire because of her tweets in Vietnam and this, obviously, affected the purpose of the trip, which is to build a harmonious relationship with the country.  The funny thing is, I think I read that the wine about the 'wine tweet' is not from Vietnam, but from Chile.  Now, talk about hitting two birds with one stone.  Be careful what you tweet!

~ Still on tweeting, the president did not want to disclose his visit to his mom and dad.  But, the whole world found out when Kris tweeted about it.

~ There is a controversial video supposedly taken way back 1928 that shows a granny talking to someone on what looks like a mobile phone.  Do you believe this?

~ Hey, hey, Hayden.  Share the seat with Manny because he is coming up with his MP7!  I wonder which of these two smells better.... the perfume, I mean.

Read more...

Patrick

The jeepney rides mostly give me stories. Here is one.

This is the second time that I encountered this estriboy guy, that's why I feel like writing about it.

At the sambat ng Pagsawitan, there's a boy who is like a taong grasa that will try to ride the jeepney. He will just stand at the entrance of the jeep while it goes. The first time I saw him, Mamang Driver was so angry that he even took out something-that-looked-like-a-bat from his side and acted as if he's going to hit the boy. The boy went down.

This time, the mamang driver seems to be nice. He allowed the boy to ride the jeep and was even smiling at him. This time, too, the boy has company. They both sat at the far end of the jeep, near the entrance. Later on, as we passed by the Areza Mall, Mamang Driver said, "Patrick, papalit naman ng bente." And Patrick says, "Ok." Then, I saw him put his hands in his pocket and when it was out, I saw a couple of bills (maybe more than Php100 in total) and in his hands, the coins. He started to count until he had enough.

I was surprised that this boy has that much money. I wonder where he gets it though. It wasn't like he asked us for alms during the ride and all. He was just sitting there and looked like he was sightseeing. I was a little vigilant though that he might be into pickpocketing (or anything of that sort) when he rides jeepneys.

He went down across the Shell Station near the Pagsanjan town plaza.

This boy, Patrick, is interesting. So, readers, if you are passing by that stretch of road to and from work or school, please take extra care of your things. I don't really know how he gets the money so may this serve as a warning.

In other news.

For those of you who didn't know, Hen-Lin now has a branch in Pagsanjan. It is located right in front of the Pagsanjan Medical Clinic (Unson Hospital). Just a little information, just in case you didn't know yet.

P.S.
I wanted to take his picture, but I know that even these people have their right. And besides, I didn't even dare to ask, because he might turn violent.

Read more...

Something I Learned and Wrote About Goodbyes

Today is the day that we are to remember the souls of our loved ones.

We remember them with good memories that make us smile and be thankful that we were able to celebrate life with them. They made our lives meaningful together with all those other people that make the pieces of our life's puzzle complete.

As we visit our loved ones on their graveyards yesterday and today, aside from praying for their souls, let us thank Him for giving us the chance to spend time with these beautiful people of our lives.

We all know that no matter how long they have gone, part of us still feels the pain of letting them go. Goodbyes are really not that easy to accept, and all of us have to deal with it more than once in our lifetime.

In one of the books I read, I was inspired to write an article about goodbyes. Even if you haven't read the book yet, I know that you are familiar with them because it is a true story that happened here in our country. "In The Presence of My Enemies" is written by Gracia Burnham to tell us their story. Early in the book, I was touched by this quote:

"Girl, your whole life is going to be a series of goodbyes. You've got to get your act together if you're going to survive in the future. I determined never again to let goodbyes devastate me as they had this time."

And this quote made me write the article, Goodbye, Summer!

**Image copied from this website

Read more...

The Tuesday Project

For the past month, Tuesdays were reserved to honor teachers by featuring teachers from Laguna who have shared with us a part of their lives. Well, Teacher Nancy shared forty-six years of her life to students, Teacher Anna Liz banked nineteen years, and Teacher Abbie already has eight years and counting.

I wanted it to go on, and I actually miss it already. To be honest, I was reserving this day for someone, but for some reason, she wasn't able to reply to my message(S). I would have had someone next in line but I didn't think this would happen.

But anyway, I am in the talks with someone else for next Tuesday and I believe she's not going to let me down.

So, for those of you who have been looking forward to Tuesdays here in Laguna Life, there will be more teachers who are going to share their lives with us.

And apart from this, I am also looking forward to featuring people from other walks of life aside from the teaching profession. Actually, I already have a draft and a working title for a chef that agreed to be share his life with us. So, there will be a whole lot more in store especially now that the Christmas season is just 50 days away.

BTW:

If you know someone who's kind of willing to be featured here in Laguna Life, please let me know so I can have a cup of kapeng barako with him/her as we talk about life.

Read more...