freedom. from.thirst

What Matters Most....

2008-04-30T16:58:00.000-07:00

In our lives, there are those who matters most...

"The love of a family is life's greatest blessing.

the lifelong learners

2007-10-21T22:44:00.000-07:00

Who said studying is dull???

Class '07 of Continuing Professional Education (CPE) at the Marikina Polytechnic College during our Class Party at the Alpadi Resort in Antipolo.

Species from all over Metro Manila and Rizal, all professionals from different fields, met and bonded together for ONE BIG REASON --- TO LEARN, UNLEARN AND RELEARN!

Special thanks to Jonathan for the use of Alpadi Resort for the closing party and the great and magnanimous selection of food! To Marianne for her effort and patience to organize the event.

The "desperate housewives" group after the buzz session. Riva, Me, Jen and Lisa.

the.lifelong.learner

2007-10-19T01:00:00.000-07:00

"If you stop learning, you stop creating history and become history.
– Vadim Kotelnikov, Founder

For the last four months, my schedule was a havoc. I've been juggling my life's priorities -- motherhood, wifehood, daughterhood, employeehood, , businesswomanhood, facilitatorhood, and the newest --- studenthood! It was really tiring and stressfull, but all the same, worth doing.

I can't help smiling whenever i would see the commercial of Sharon Cuneta with the new "have-it-all" multivitamins. She said, "the next Sharon, a student." At 40, she was trying to earn her college diploma which she unfortunately failed to do because of early exposure and success as an actress. Oh well, before i forget, this blog is not about Sharon, it's about my new-born and intense passion for continous and lifelong learning.

Last August, i have enrolled at Marikina Polytechnic College to earn my Continuing Professional Education [CPE] units so I can teach at our local university. For some time now, I've been setting aside the thoughts of continuing my education although inside me, i am longing so much to return to school.

Imagine having to juggle a new task aside from playing numerous roles already -- school after office hours instead of going home to help my son with his assignment or doing some of the house chores (my husband keeps on ratting me to do); endless assignments and projects; review for quizzes, long exams; and reports! Wow, it is stressful alright!

Three or four months later, im done with my nine (9) units and I'm so proud of myself! I'll definitely enroll again this sem to complete my remaining 9 units.

Let me share with you why schooling at my age is actually fun!!!

nostalgia... i loved my high school and college days. It's so fun to be a student and not worry about office deadlines, withholding taxes, bills! with my CPE class, i get to be a student again and feel what it was like in the past!
stimulated for learning... whether you believe it or not, i love going to school now to learn, learn.. and learn! I enjoy everything --- the lectures, the reports, the assignments and even the tests! I am so excited to do everything and I'm happier now that I've grown matured and experienced and that I'm able to share all I know with the class!
wider horizon, new-found friends... my classmates are a mixture of everything -- lovable, huggable, laughable, missable (as in nakaka-miss :) and hateable! i love all of them! I am in such a matured state now that i treat everyone as an ally (whether they want it or not!@) and a possible network! I see everybody as exciting species, a pond of knowledge and a great resource (pati financial hehehehe)!
no-holds barred, more enjoyable meetings... since most of us are already professionals -- our sharing, activities and parties are better than what i had in college! Great food (special thanks to Riva and Jonathan), comprehensive photo and video coverage (courtesy of my super close and pretty sister Jen), lively parties with dancing and singing (Jon is sensational, Marianne is wow! Mommy sings with heart, Nonet and Leticia are emotional! Allan is my dancing partner, Spanky -- rakista whoooowww!), open-ended forum-discussion (the desperate housewives divas -- led by Melissa) and the overflowing alak (my male drinking buddies --- Neil, Bjorn, Butz).

These and a lot more makes me teary-eyed already. I miss school, I miss my classmates and new friends! Thank God I'm going to enroll again this November and continue my being a lifelong learner. End.

stress.in.our.life

2007-10-05T06:46:00.000-07:00

This is such a good read. Found it in my email today, courtesy of my lola friend, meann. Stress is everyone's problem. I'm under a lot of stress right now and even as i write this blog, im still trying to win over my stress. Goodluck in overcoming yours...

A lecturer when explaining stress management to an audience raised a glass of water
and asked; "How heavy is this glass of water?"

Answers called out ranged from 2 to 5 pounds. The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter.

It depends on how long you try to hold it.

If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an
ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance.
In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."
He continued, "And that's the way it is with stress management. If we carry our
burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy,
we won't be able to carry on." "As with the glass of water, you have to put it down
for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on
with the burden." "So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you're carrying
now, let them down for a moment if you can."

Here are some great ways of dealing with the burdens of life:

* Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue. * Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
* Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it. * Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their maker.
* If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
* If you lend someone P500 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.
* It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to be kind to others.
* Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you wont have a leg to stand on.
* Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
* Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.
* The second mouse gets the cheese. * When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
* Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
* You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to
one person.
* Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.
* We could learn a lot from crayons... Some are sharp, some are pretty and
some are dull. Some have weird names, and all are different colors,
but they all have to live in the same box.
*A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

love.versus.infatuation

2007-09-24T00:43:00.000-07:00

“Love withers with predictability; its very essence is surprise and
amazement. To make love a prisoner of the mundane is to take its passion and lose it forever.” Leo Buscaglia

All of us dream of a happy ending. Canned fairy tale love affairs coupled with castles, knight in shining armours and chivalrous and romatic heroes. I have my share of these dreams. I stared night after night at the ceiling of my cramped bedroom starry-eyed and looking at an imaginary falling star silently praying that my prince will come and save me from being loveless...

That was years ago. Some 8 or 9 cranked love affairs after, i have realized that the movies were good and the books were fantastic, and they are pure fiction. They gave me a very vivid presentation of how my perfect lover should be leaving the reality that he is nowhere to be found in my world. Such a shame because i have lived my teenage to womanhood years positively hoping and expecting for the arrival of my prince.

Now, with a husband and a kid later, i've realized one great reality -- that a perfect fairy tale romance is not dependent on having a castle and a handsome knight... it is having a lover who is with you all the way -- -

--- he who smiles at you and makes you laugh when your world is crumbling

--- he who willingly give up his last hundred bucks to buy you a sundae or a mc donald's

burger because you're down in the dumps

--- he who sleep in your hospital bed and change your clothes and even wash your

underwear

--- he who doesn't mind picking you up from your g-mik in the wee hours of the night

--- he who put up with your tantrums and not say at all when your cursing and shouting damnations

--- he who loves your mom and not forget to bring her anything when he has the budget

--- he who wear his wedding ring even in his sleep and not force you to wear yours because you think it's not fashionable

--- he who tries to give you surprises and write short notes because you want it eventhough its not his personality to be mushy

--- he who allow you buy kikay stuff for yourself because he knows it'll make you happy even if he thinks you damn not need it!

--- he who does'nt stop calling you even if you always hang or bang the phone while he's still talking

--- he who takes care of your child, loves him so much and teach him how to undress himself and put on his clothes and count and... because you're too busy to teach your own child...

--- and many more others that makes him so endearing.

One can never have a perfect marriage. There will always be grudges and problems no matter who you are with -- even if he is so handome, so rich, so macho or so romantic. Today, i just realized that my prince has come not boxed in a handsome fairy tale package but with the values that i will be forever thankful for -- his love for his family, his being responsible, his being patient, his being thoughtful, his being hardworking and his easiness in making you feel good and happy. He may not be the one in my dreams but he is fulfilling my dream of having a wonderful, happy and peaceful family life.

Oftentimes, we look hard and long for the things that we dream in our life and miss the even finier and important people who come across our path. We misconstrued love with "kilig" and passion and choose the people who gives us momentary fun and laughter altogether missing those patient folks who offers more than temporary pleasure but pure love and sincere intentions. These that matters in looking for a lifetime partner and relationship.

I once heard a government official saying that even choosing for a lifetime partner is a lifeskill. Is'nt it that there are a lot of broken marriages these days and battered wives or husbands? It's probably because we don't give so much thought on our romantic rendezvous, that we only consider how much a lover can give us excitement and probably submit to our expectations like having good looks, nice car or a full wallet. It is misleading to think of love and relationship based on convenience and temporary fun and adventure. Often than not, our impulsive actions and uncontrolled emotions lead us to unexpected situations that we are sorry for in the end. Decisions that sometimes not only hurt us but also our family and those who love and care for us.

I am not an expert on love and relationship. I had my share of failed and painful affinities. This is more of a testimony of experiences that made my search for true happiness and true love more realistic and more satisfying. I always believe in the saying that "the path of true love is never easy." It is coupled with hard work, lot of understanding, loads of patience, bushels of trust and a mass of appreciation for one another. It is recognizing and accepting the fact that "he is the one" even if your mind dictates he is not because you are wishing, and always looking for a better person. Thinking that you are in-love is sometimes just a state of mind. But being truly in love is a matter of the heart.

"You can't have all the qualities you're looking for in one man." -
Deena

thirsting...

2007-09-23T22:52:00.000-07:00

freedom.from.thirst

2007-09-23T22:32:00.000-07:00

thirst. (wikipedia) basic instinct of humans or animals to drink.

my.thirst. (mhelopedia) defined as my insatiable hunger, desire, longing, craving, or eagerness to be erudite, to experience and enjoy life's extremeties, to share kindness and love...
in short, i want to be COMPLETE. (erratum: im not paid by centrum for this)

i thirst for:

freedom --- the freedom to express myself without fear of judgement from others who think mightily of themselves.

learning --- to know everything there is to know so whenever my intelligent 4-yr. old Marcus would pop the magic and bizarre questions, i would be able torespond calmly without making a fool of myself.

harmony and tranquility --- gone were the days where young people go to school and study hard, were students go to the academia to eventually become successful and achieve their dreams. these days, a lot of young people go to school so their parents would give them their allowance for their vices --- endless computer gaming and internet and gmicking. we see a lot of youngsters today who even in their secondary education would proudly drop out of school to be free --- free to endlessly loiter (tambayang walang humpay) and to party nonstop. these youngsters mixed with the out-of-school youth (osy) who were either deprived of fair chances or chose to create their own havoc in life eventually becomes the society's pests. i long for the day when i can walk again the streets of metro manila in night time without fear of snatchers; when i can ride again the public transportation drowning myself in a peaceful sleep without fear of a hold-up. financial absoluteness --- so i don't have to worry about money for the bills, for the amortization, for the tuition fee, for the mechanic, for the grocery... so i can devote my time doing what i like and love and do best --- being a mother, a wife, a kin, a comrade, an educator, a student, a sales person, a facilitator, an organizer, a voracious reader... oh well, the list is endless.

share.my.thirst. read on and share my life.