Classroom Science Initiatives

One part of me regrets that if there had been fewer lapses in posting since the millennium numbered entry here, that I would have arrived at number one thousand and one hundred sooner.

But I guess in some ways it can’t be helped as there are more activities this school year that demand my undivided attention than last year.

Not that I’m saying there are more student activities this term; just that I’m being asked to attend to more matters. And that is part of last year’s major and minor tasks reversing their designation.

There is also a part of me that has qualms about using the phrase “it can’t be helped”. It is borderline “it wasn’t meant to be”. But if I were to help it any further, I’d be giving up on sleep, which has a domino effect on our efficiency in the succeeding days, as was already demonstrated once.

@@ In my multiply account, I’ve mentioned something about cyber squatting, or buying up a domain name or web address that has the potential of becoming popular in the hopes that its rightful owner will pay more money to get it back.

Now, it seems that it’s happened to a high school (Pace, in fact) whose most common assumption of people to their institution’s site actually leads to, worst of all commercial pages, porn.

I would think that if there really isn’t any ongoing “story” that has that name, then it should be deemed illegal.

@@ So once more for the past two days I was in the campus named after hills of green, although it’s been decades since that was last literal.

What was the first priority agreed upon by the body: voter education, especially those who have just become eligible. And since this has a deadline of May, we (faculty and student leaders) really have to barrage the students with all the info until the end of the school year while we still have their attention.

@@ Daily Leadership Lesson August 27: The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. - Psalm 34:18 NIV

My take on this: it seems to be just an extension of the beatitudes, saying that there are also more non-physical rewards for those who despair in this life. So it shouldn’t be cause for giving up all together.

August 28: “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.” - Henry Ford

My take on this: complete agreement. Just because there was a collaboration once, that a team was able to perform successfully, isn’t cause for superlatives that have to be hailed until the end of time.

It was good while it lasted, sure, but especially nowadays, it’s every easy to slip off people’s memory with so much bombardment of external stimulation, and others always working to top their most recent work.

Besides, there is really also cause for celebration of bands that have stayed together the longest, and TV series who have not changed cast for years, because such group efforts laud people working harmoniously with each other.

Now that’s something that I want to be able to see our student leaders pull off, even for just one year.

 There have been no posts in the past two days because of preparation for going to a two-day seminar on bringing to life the guiding principles in the campus in the hills of green, and the first day of the seminar. 

It was only now though that I’ve had the chance to write a long post. The past two days it was just micro-journaling.

@@ Finally the computers in the faculty room in the third floor east wing have finally been installed with the new anti-virus.

Thank goodness there will be no more message windows when we start up the PC about the previous program being out-of-date and no longer being updated. And along with that comes the pop up about having detected a virus, but it couldn’t be healed unless one is in administrator mode.

A frustration in retrospect is that it took this long (I think I talked about when the computers in the student center were such installed a week or two ago – don’t have time right now to check).

@@ So, for the second time in less than a week I’ve packed my big bag to be away from home for at least two nights.

Last time it was just for recreation, this time it’s for work. But I was in the metro again until the wee hours of the morning (for the third time this month) so this was really a chance to make the most out of the urban zone, without having to worry about any long commute home at ungodly hours.

@@ Daily Leadership Lesson August 24: He who dares nothing, need hope for nothing. - Johann Shiller

My take on this: another way to put it would be the person who risks something is the one who can expect something in return.

It’s not a hard and fast rule. Truth being stranger than fiction there have been cases where an opportunity just falls on the lap of someone who didn’t so much as get off the couch. There are those who believe though that this is the fruit of labor in a previous life, so it’s not “free”.

But generally, we can’t all just wait for that perfect moment when what we have been dreaming of just breezes through the door.

To win the lottery we have to fall in line the same as everyone else when the jackpot is nine digits.

To even be considered by the girl you like you have to be willing to ask her out and face the possibility of being rejected.

To land that perfect job you have to chance sending your application out there, and be ready not to be return called.

@@ August 25: Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable.” - Sydney J. Harris

My take on this: one shouldn’t dwell in the past that much, only to move forward from it.

@@ August 26: It is a common experience that a problem difficult at night is resolved in the morning after the committee of sleep has worked on it. - John Steinbeck

My take on this: sometimes “settle everything before going to bed” doesn’t work.

So the weekend was spent in the summer capital. For the first time in a long time, travel was done during the day.

The past two times I was there, we set out in the late evening and arrived at the place just as the sun was rising.

With the exception of Camp John Hay (that I didn’t pay for to begin with), this was the best semi-professional but still cozy home type accommodation that I’ve been to so far in all my stays there. I highly recommend it, and I’d give anyone who would ask the contact information of the place.

It was also my first walking tour of the city, as I already knew the haunts (not the regular tourist traps) that I wanted to visit there.

What’s new? There were a couple of St. Bernard dogs being hawked at Mines View as photo opportunities. It was also possible to rent native costumes there to wear and take your own picture.

Good Shepherd had several labeled railings now for the lines of people buying products at their counters.

There were coin-operated telescopes at the balcony of the top floor of SM. Natives in costume are more aggressive now in shoeing themselves into the pictures you’re taking then asking for payment.

For the first time, since our home base was walking distance from it, I was able to enter the Botanical Garden.

One thing I’d change for next time though: not include meals (except breakfast) in the charges. It forced me to have to return to home base for each meal, instead of just eating where I ended up when I got hungry.

Return trip was from 230pm to 11pm, but that’s already covering both North and South Expressway, not like the departure trip.

Also, the it’s seems like a good thing that the worst part of the trip was dinner at Hot Shots in Petron gas station NLEX, starting from the outrageous prices to experiencing extreme rudeness not expected with regards to food, although it did put me in a sour mood until I got home.

@@ Daily Leadership Lesson August 21: The opportunity to accomplish challenging tasks inspires people to give their best.

My take on this: the first step is to see it as an opportunity and not as an obstacle or a hindrance. So again it’s all about having the right attitude and outlook towards things in the first place.

August 22: Outstanding leaders go out of the way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish. - Sam Walton

My take on this: outstanding leaders are those who can make their members see themselves as and be outstanding.

August 23: He who would accomplish little must sacrifice little; he who would achieve much must sacrifice much. - James Allen

My take on this: input equals output. As early as one’s schoolwork the amount of dedication put into it shows in the result, just like with how much time the students spend online, with DVDs or video games.

Last regular day of the term, not considering Saturday because not everyone has classes on that day.

@@ The last time I went to Baguio it was December, with student leaders (who both eventually became student council presidents) Raymond and Maria Victoria and resident and computer student Michael.

We went to the SM there during one of our lean (as in no youth congress activities planned) nights and that was where I was able to watch Peter Jackson’s “King Kong”. It was something I was looking forward to seeing, but somehow it put some (or one) of my companions to sleep.

It actually became a food tour for the several days we were there because Michael brought us around to his favorite eating places for different types of foods, but not including the original Don Henrico’s branch.

The less said about the youth congress though the better (although the food was very plentiful and nothing to complain about to the point that some decided to skip meals or be bloated), and even though we received another invitation last year (about two or three years after the first time we went there) we didn’t reply.

I hope that when I go back where I will be staying will be within walking distance of the center of town.

Otherwise, the temptation is there, since it’s going to be a chore to sweat anyway, to walk all over the place.

Another major change is that now I have not one but two digital cameras to bring with me and record everything.

@@ The computers in the student center have finally been equipped with the new anti-virus program.

The problem is, the IT personnel also changed the way I log in, which means I cannot access anymore my files from the previous log in.

I hope that within the next few days (although the acquisition of the new AV program was supposed to be at the start of the term) the computers in the east wing third floor college faculty room will have them installed.

@@ For the second term in the row, looks like I will have another extra curricular activity for the finals week.

Apparently, the call of the district is stronger, and all other activities have to move out of the way for them.

At least since it is administration initiative this time, then there is no question about budgeting.

Maybe that’s what’s wrong though. “Hey, we’re paying big money for this, so you can’t refuse.” Or maybe I really don’t see any good reason to disobey, and that submitting has more advantages.

@@ Daily Leadership Lesson August 20: But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. - Isaiah 40:31 NIV

My take on this: again it’s about non-physical rewards for non-physical labor, along the “Blessed are the meek” vein.

There was an emergency drill this morning. I guess it isn’t called a fire drill anymore because it’s discriminative to other types of disasters like earthquakes and typhoons.

Another difference, besides the announcements posted all over the walls, is that we were now asked to gather at the south stretch of the circumferential road instead of the covered courts.

The only advantage to this that I saw was that we could see the college students on the third floor east wing who so brazenly defied the alarms despite everyone being outside already.

Also, I had to report to physical facilities that their alarm, not like the regular bell or the Angelus, is not audible from inside the student center, maybe because of the double doors.

@@ There is now a reality TV school. A few days ago I saw a guy with a shirt on that said “Game Shows and Reality Shows Have Writers”. If this was supposed to be a hint that everything there is scripted, then it’s not absolute proof. After all, someone has to come up with twist and turns to see how the contestants can be milked out of the most drama.

And, there’s also the huge difference between “last team to arrive will be eliminated” and “MAY be eliminated”. The host doesn’t just come up with things like that on the fly.

I’m not defending all reality shows - there are already several lists on the net of the ones that have scraped the bottom of the barrel – but I do appreciate the work of the creative team who, maybe in the middle of the season for several years that I’ve been watching “Survivor”, “Amazing Race” and “Big Brother”, realize they need something to spice it up.

Sometimes the idea works, sometimes it does not, but the trick is to keep trying, and not just sit on one’s laurels bleeding a concept until it’s dry just because it earned the network money once. (Local Wonder Woman equivalent – notice I didn’t say rip off – anyone?)

@@ Last week the administrators were talking about anecdotes from the clinic during a particularly busy week.

A kid was complaining her feet hurt. So the nurse inquired after her that it only happens in school and not at home.

In the end the conclusion was that apparently the shoes her parents bought for her are too tight.

@@ Daily Leadership Lesson August 19: I’m not a good shot, but I shoot often. - Theodore Roosevelt

My take on this: it’s another way of saying if at first you don’t succeed try and try again.

Of course, there has to be careful analysis of what happened during the previous failures, otherwise, it would be just a fly bumping its head on the window pane again and again.

Over the weekend I was also able to buy eight books of “Bob and Bobette”, These are graphic novels of the same style as the Tintin books but more catering towards children because it involves talking animals, time travel, goddesses and magic and super strong humans.

Besides that, here are some other purchases. First is “Assignment in Eternity” by Robert A. Heinlein. I honestly don’t remember if I already bought this book and it’s in my backlog, but hey, it was only thirty pesos in National Book Store so what the hey.

Next there is “Loop Group” by Larry McMurtry. This is the first of three hardbound books I bought. In deference to TV, who was with me at the time, I won’t post anymore the spiel at the back that made me buy it, although it’s probably searchable on-line.

“NNNNN” is a novel by Carl Reiner, most recently remembered from the “Ocean’s Eleven” movies. Speaking of blurbs, this book had one from Steve Martin, which is why I bought it.

Finally, I have “Camp” by Michael D. Eisner. This one was sealed but still selling for fifty pesos, so I got it.

I also found “Prisoner on Vandam Street” by Kinky Friedman, a crime novel (well, if having an investigator as the lead character is enough to call it that) but out of my pile it’s the one that TV chose to buy for herself, and will lend me when she’d done.

I can afford to be generous like that because looking for cheap but still interesting books is a gift.

@@ And just to round out my review of movies started last week, I also got to watch “The Hangover”.

It’s a great movie. It has funny characters, good build up and a satisfactorily logical resolution.

Of course, just like with “G.I. Joe” the trick is not to think too much about it. After all, it’s not a murder mystery, or a Michael Crichton book, which have to be well thought out.

Well, at least it’s not “Max Payne” or “The Happening”, both of which I just came across while typing this up.

Yes, multitasking while writing; welcome to the cusp of the second decade of the twenty first century.

I’ve watched the first one, but the second I just looked up the synopsis on the every reliable net; no use wasting time on it.

@@ Daily Leadership Lesson August 18: With vision, every person, organization and country can flourish. The Bible says, Without vision we perish. - Mark Victor Hansen

My take on this: I don’t think I need to elaborate further. Knowing is half the battle and all that.

I was supposed to post last Saturday, but being at the wake was very physically and emotionally draining. Thanks to Henry and TV for dropping by, to Chat and Carlos for the messages.

It’s sad when it’s wakes and funerals that become the only avenue for relatives and friends to see each other again after long separations.

And I know I’m not there for the one who died and doesn’t care because they are in a better place, but for the loved ones that were left behind.

For me it was also a trip back to my high school alma mater, where I found out my old principal, who not surprisingly doesn’t remember me, is now the coordinator of the funeral chapels and services.

He even told me that the wake beside the chapel of my uncle’s is for the mother of one of my batch mates, although the name wasn’t familiar.

@@ On a more personal and less detached note, this uncle of mine is memorable because we had to go fly on a plane (my first trip) when I was in grade school to attend his wedding. It was also the first time that I was a reader instead of a ring bearer at a wedding of a relative. And the priest, who during those olden times still called the name of the reader before taking the lectern, did so in a quaint French accent.

After the death of my brother and before mobile phones got into the picture, it was also this uncle and his wife who I stayed with near the previous school that I taught at, so that if there would be any more emergencies like when my mom had to call me up in school on a Sunday about my brother, I would be easier to reach. So for about five years back then he was my landlord.

@@ In other news, it’s now the thirteenth week of classes, no more activities, and everyone is busy with finals preparation. And to boot, it’s only four days long with the holiday this Friday, with Thursday having Friday class schedule.

@@ Daily Leadership Lesson August 15: For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. - 2 Chronicles 16:9 NIV

My take on this: like people really need more of a reason to believe more than they already do. If they have faith and pray, even if it only at their most desperate hour, they are grasping at straws and need strong hearts.

So saying that there are more non-physical rewards to keeping one’s mind on one’s god seems kind of redundant.

@@ August 16: Never look down to test the ground before taking your next step; only he who keeps his eyes fixed on the far horizon will find his right road. - Dag Hammerskjold

My take on this: I don’t know. It’s not sound. And even practically, a lot of people trip or crash into walls by not paying attention to what’s right in front of them, even if that distraction is the long view.

@@ August 17: Don’t wish it was easier; wish you were better. Don’t wish for less problems; wish for more skills. Don’t wish for less challenges; wish for more wisdom. - Jim Rohn

My take on this: meeting obstacles is about having the right attitude towards them. They are there to test you, and if you don’t learn from the correctly or grow, they will be encountered again.

In another way this is like saying those who do not learn from the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them.

Today is Friday the fourteenth. Yesterday was Sir Ronnie’s birthday. Last week was Ms. Malu and next week it’s Ms. Luizette. Many happy returns to these great co-teachers and friends!

@@ Someone has inadvertently pulled out of its socket the door handle of the faculty room here in the east wing third floor. For me that only means this is the most used and most worn out part of the room.

@@ It’s funny how someone who has no real defense keeps changing tacks. This is true for students giving excuses to their teachers and to those being questioned in public for their extravagances.

So, first it was a ploy of their enemies to make a big deal out of it, trying to dismiss it as something that really isn’t that significant.

Next, they want to have the people believe that since they are there to represent the rest of the people that they should be able to present their “best” side to the natives of the land they’re visiting.

Well, I believe the recently dearly departed former president who never showed any extravagance would disagree.

@@ There was a third movie watched in four nights: the science fiction “Push” riding the wave of fashion on having superhuman abilities, like the similarly starred “Fantastic Four” and “Jumper”.

I didn’t watch that last film yet, but most of the ones from comics, sure, and “Heroes” and this, for me, is near the bottom of the pile.

First of all, I believe it suffers from thinking that the audience will be able to accept from the get go that all these people have common uncommon powers, along with how to get around them.

Second, I believe having people who can make you do something you don’t want to do, even implant false memories would make for a very confusing movie, like the similarly themed “The Final Cut”.

Third, the title of the movie is deceptive. I thought like “Jumper” that this was about a secret cadre of people with telekinesis living in the normal world. Then it turns out what the main character does, despite being prominent in the trailer and posters, isn’t pushing but moving, and pushing is something else entirely.

Then there’s the confusion between readers and sniffers, which I needed an online resource to find out. Maybe it could have been better developed as a series instead of as a movie, since it’s all crammed up.

One thing I could say about the setting though, is that it made me miss going to Hong Kong all over again.

@@ Daily Leadership Lesson August 14: Truth is the strongest and most powerful weapon a man can use, whether he is fighting for a reform or fighting for a sale. - Arthur Dunn

My take on this: probably the most difficult truth that a person has to face would be admitting that he is doing something for selfish reasons even when he tells everyone else that it’s for the good of many.

The best test for this would probably be to ask the person to work anonymously, for no pay, and with no public or private hobnobbing with influential personalities then see if he would still take the job.

Well, it’s official. The Parents of College Students’ Organization has been dissolved.

It’s funny that in the start of their letter to the brother president, they admit that the majority of the members of the board who decided on the dissolution all didn’t have children enrolled here anymore.

That means that they really don’t care what happens to the school and the student activities.

I’m sure that they didn’t include those who still have children here, who, not coincidentally are also on their second or third term of office, and who were the ones always opposing the ideas of this president who cares only about his ego foremost.

I just hope that even with this termination that the money given to them from the past three terms (second term last year up to first term this school year – can you believe that gall to get money that is supposed to be allotted for their successors?) is carefully accounted.

It’s funny that at the last minute he was worried about his legacy and came up with this crazy idea of putting up soap dispensers in selected rest rooms in the campus (not even all of them).

There was no fanfare to this project of his, and doesn’t even follow his self-set six week rule of planning with which he has turned down helping the biggest and last event of the school year of the student council. So this is supposed to make up for the fact that he didn’t support last year’s student leaders in any of their activities?

Well, I’ve made sure the student leaders of this year remember him all right, for his neglect.

As I have said in several of my micro-posting registers, you can’t blame other people for something that was entrusted to your care that you broke, when those other people (I’m talking about the administration here) were also around when his predecessors ruled, and their association didn’t fail. So it’s his fault really, all of it.

I’m talking about not going through the proper channels that have, for years, been taking care of disseminating the information about the general assembly, which is why there were few participants.

Besides, would anyone really believe someone who is always blameless?

@@ Daily Leadership Lesson August 13: The greatest act of faith is when man decides he is not God. - Oliver Wendell Holmes

My take on this: is this about man accepting that he is only human and therefore has limitations?

It’s very vague. I believe a man should accept that he doesn’t know everything. But to admit that he cannot do everything, that there is something he will not be able to accomplish no matter how hard he tries, is self-defeating for me. So as a lesson, this is a reject for me.

I watched “He’s just not that into you” last night. I didn’t like it that much compared to some other relationship movies that I’ve seen, maybe because it made me very uncomfortable.

I guess that means the filmmakers’ intent all along, to show these truths in all its rawness.

It’s really bad when a person has a so-called “support system” of others who skirt around the reality of the reason why someone she liked doesn’t call anymore, and feeds the delusion.

@@ So this is the second movie review in two days, and I just edited yesterday’s opening at that.

It was also the second day that I was in two different malls along the highway, and riding there from school using two different means (first was the shuttle, second was with Sir Josh).

Even though there were a lot of purchases on both days, there was one piece of neglect of something necessary to buy that wasn’t available in the second mall, which I only remembered about after leaving the first mall on the first day. So my shopping trips aren’t over.

@@ My second uncle from the same side of the family died early this morning. I was already somewhat prepared for it when my mom told me my aunt and uncle left for the hospital yesterday afternoon or early evening. He follows his brother after less than ten years and neither of them lived as long as their dad my grand—uncle.

@@ Daily Leadership Lesson August 9: The best way to bring focus into your life is to never place a question mark where God has put a period. - John Mason

My take on this: I was just talking about this in class the other day, since watching “Contact” means discussing the manipulation of religion, or attributing to a supernatural presence people’s own failings. My example was a co-worker who, being pushed to send documents that could bring him to Japan, said when the printer failed on the day of submission “It wasn’t meant to be.” I took it to mean he really didn’t want to go, but didn’t want to tell our boss (also religious) his inner state.

So I say: “Free will means you can take that so-called ‘period’ as a sign or as a challenge.”

@@ August 10: Take a good look at what lies ahead of you.

My take on this: I guess this is just another way to say plan well and look at all possible outcomes or branches.

@@ August 12: Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. - Galatians 6:9-10 NIV

My take on this: I would do good to others, whether or not they believe in the same things I do.