guilty

I admit. I was a neglectful blogger for the longest time so far. And that was until this post. But after this, I can’t assure yet whether or not the next hiatus will be as long. Aside from the packed-schedule-excuses you are tired of reading (and I myself am getting tired of believing), there had been another impediment. You see, I was supposed to share my account on our department out-of-town strategic planning this year; it was in June and collecting the photos wasn’t a problem. But then for some reason, I can’t upload it to my Photobucket. For weeks I was getting the “Upload error 404” which at first I thought was due to the filter policies configured recently in our servers at the office. But after 2 weeks of failed attempts, only then did I decide to bring the photos home to try uploading them using a different connection. I got the same problem. For a few times, it said that upload was successful. But then the photos cannot be found in my album no matter how many times I refresh the page.

Yeah, it took me that long before I finally decided to resort to Picasa Web. Just yesterday actually…

Oh well, it’s too late to tell about the trip now. In brief, after 2 consecutive years going up north, our group decided to go southbound this time. The first destination was a private resort in Laguna, made exclusive for us. Laguna is a place famous for hot springs. And the next day, we ascended Tagaytay which, as far as we have explored, the only interesting attraction is the view of the renowned Taal volcano submerged in a lake.

Let the pictures do the talking

unfortunate sunday

It started with the family’s abrupt decision to go shopping. And so we rode a bus to the mall after church service. A day in the mall wasn’t very eventful but still for someone like us whose daily lives just switch between home and work recently it may be considered a good break. We got out of the mall by 7PM and learned that all vans bound back to our city had already left and none other will arrive. This is an unpleasant surprise because the last time I went with a colleague, transport was available until 9PM. So we waited for a bus in front of the mall for half an hour but to no avail. Cutting the story short, we were able to get a ride past 9 o’clock and boy was it inconvenient! Imagine there were 6 of us squeezed in the back of the AUV which would only be comfortable for four but since all the passengers are just as eager to get home, we all endured the inconvenience.

From the cab’s unloading area, we rode a tricycle. Feeling giddy from the uncomfortable travel, I started getting ready for bed and as I changed my clothes I found out that my cell phone’s missing. I tried ringing it using my sister’s handset hoping that the rider would hear it and pick it up. But it just rang on until it went dead because the call is not answered. I’m certain that it slipped from my pocket in the tricycle because it was still in my left pocket when we got off the AUV.

I immediately gave up my hopes of retrieving it because foremost, tricycles roam around the city and pick passengers in succession. Second its battery is not fully charged thus would be drained soon. The only consolation was that both the phone and the SIM card is secured with a PIN so whoever finds it would have no use for it unless he’s quite techie to know how to deactivate the locks

I am saddened by the loss of my phone which I bought on credit and paid for several months and which had been a big help in my
studies since I used it for Internet connection at home. It had even been a handy camera for several photos for this blog. Now, gone with it were the dates and messages which mean much to me.

Fitted (A sequel to ‘A Teacher’s Uniform’)

This blog debuted with a post that tells about how I was often mistaken for a teacher when I was just a student myself. Now two years later, I really am.

My mind was flooded with post-graduation plans since my hasty finish from college. Teaching was considered though it wasn’t a priority then because my prolonged stay in college made me feel satiated with the classroom environment. But with the insistence of my former mentors and the tempting yearning of my pocket for extra cash as well as the pitiful state of my savings, I gave in.

A month of anxious waiting since the teaching demo and I was hired. Since last week, I teach from 6-9PM after my old fulltime office job and so far, I am still getting the feel of being in front and managing a class of no less than 30 students whose ages range from 15 to 28 years old for the four courses loaded to me. Honestly, teaching was more difficult than I thought it is.

It is indeed starving exhausting challenging especially that my former teachers are now my colleagues. I hope to be good at this. So help me God.

Sure I’ll miss my free Saturday nights too *sob*

Farewell to a teacher, fighter and mother

I left for Baguio last week to pay respect for Dennis’ mom who succumbed to complications of breast cancer. I haven’t had the chance to meet the woman before since she was hospitalized during my last trip to Baguio .

The trip was decided abruptly. It’s good that I have gained few leave credits again since I came back to work last month and that Lalaine had kept in touch again after a long time. I insisted to myself that this is for the bereaved family and I wouldn’t want Dennis to be the least worried about attending to my needs during my stay and so I conspired with Lalaine to keep my plans secret. Lalaine and her family were dutiful hosts as before and I just can’t thank them enough for accommodating me.

It was a sad reunion but it’s rewarding to see how my friend reacted when he saw me the first night I attended the funeral. He just can’t seem to believe I was really there.

“She was a teacher, a fighter and a mother”, described Dennis as eulogy. His mom was a high school teacher by profession – perhaps one factor why Dennis and his two siblings pursued Education for their college degrees. He spoke how his mom trained them to promptly accomplish tasks given to them. The more touching tale was how with unswerving faith, his mother ‘fought all the way’ despite that her chances solely relied on miracle thus a ‘fighter’.

I believe that more than anybody else in their family, Den had prepared himself for their mother’s departure. But when we we’re having coffee together a night after the interment, he confessed how “It still feels different. It’s so easy to say ‘at least it’s over, she’s finally at peace… move on…’ but then it still feels different especially when it’s your mother [you lost]” I feel sorry for him. Yet I admire how he tries to amuse himself and live each day after. Truly he’s one of his mom’s greatest fulfillments.


* * * * *

Here are studio shots we have had taken the day before I returned home; a remembrance how we stuck together when one just needs somebody during life’s tough time.

xoxoxo

We love chocolates and so my colleagues and I frequent the nearby department store during lunch break. Once we were scanning the shelves and the next thing, I was thinking aloud. “If Hershey’s will be introducing another Kisses variant, what would they name it? ‘Make Out’? Since they have ‘hugs’ and ‘kisses’…” Jing replied, “Get Laid”.

Other ideas?