Citizen of the Earth

Tomorrow, Monday, i'm off to the DFA to renew my passport. It's a good thing that they now have an online appointment service for passport renewals [http://www.dfa.gov.ph]. It's the first time i'm using this service and i hope it's really more convenient. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

It just occured to me, why do we need passports? I hope the day will come when men will no longer live in a world of nations. Instead, people shall all belong and live freely under one sky in a singluar world called Earth.

But then again, that is just a thought...

A Still Center...

Whenever i get down or worried about something, which as a self-confessed OC happens quite a lot, i play my favorite Gosh Groban cds and start meditating my blues away.

I have learned a long time ago that despite all the difficulties one encounters in a day, it is best to remember to flick on that "still center." That feeling deep inside that gives you warmth and assurance that amid all the chaos, everything shall come to pass...and peace will reign. It's called Faith.

Idealistic? I beg to differ. My still center has carried me through many, many storms...safely back to shore.

Find it, your still center.

Life's Little Addictions

I'm a COKE addict!

There... i've said it! No, not cocaine but COCA COLA, the soda drink. There was a time when i could drink a whole 1.5 liter all in one lunch time. Not my proudest moment because i know it's not really good for my health.

But what's a guy to do? I just love its taste and after taste. That zing it brings to my quenched mouth. Oh well, this post is dedicated to my favorite drink... Coke!

And no, this is not an advertisement. And in case you're wondering, yes, i am sipping a can as i write this entry! Cheers!

On Grief

If there were no tears to wallow our hearts... there would be no place for joy!
[Angel Anden]

Sometimes, grieving can be good. It can be cathartic and liberating. It's a process. I've always felt that each time i feel pain or despair i would emerge a new person. A stronger person.

I think sufferings are there to polish us; to get rid of the old husky skin and bring out the new, fresh cover. Ah! Sometimes i can really get too positive for comfort.

[The photo is by photographer Eolo Perfido. More at www.eoloperfido.com]

On Books...

My friend Dante and i went to our favorite bookstore last Saturday. It has been quite some time now since i did some book shopping. With no particular title in mind, i browsed through covers and pages, hoping to find something interesting.

There must have been only three other customers in the store when we got there. But after a few minutes, the floor started to get busy. This made me think to myself and smile. It was nice to know that some people, like my friend Dante and i, still preferred their doses of knowledge from books and magazines! Well, maybe not as much people as there were at the video shops, but relatively speaking, it was a good number.

I have heard of some lamentations a few years ago that less and less filipinos were reading. Maybe it's not just because of the internet but also the fact that good books are becoming a rarity in our schools.

I wonder... could there still be a child out there, sitting in a library, getting lost in world only books can take him to?

Arch of Friendship

The Arch of Friendship in Kiev.

On Teaching...

One of my students was curious enough to ask me in class why do i like teaching. That must have been asked of me quite a number of times, and each time i find it surprising that they even had to ask! I love teaching. It is a passion for me.

My mother was a schoolteacher and my first teacher at home. I remember days when she would be preparing her visual aids and i would be sitting from across our dining table, watching her and trying to read her flip charts upside down. It was so much fun that i looked foward to my own first day of school!

Nowadays, a teacher must really be more than just a repository of knowledge in class. The teacher has to compete for the students' attention. What with all the technological gadgets and internet at their disposal. Their attention span is now shorter than that of a five-year old!!! I discovered early on that i was more effective when i "performed" for my students rather than just "teach."

My students have become my regular audience for my "daily shows". We laugh a lot in class and have fun, but at the end of the day, i'm certain that something has been learned.

I love teaching. It is my passion!