It seems like a "first day" phenomenon has been the talk of the blogosphere for a lot of students, not to mention, a handful of Bosconians, whom i have had the privilege to know this past year. A few moments back, i browsed through a number of blogs of former students, ranting and raving about the highs and lows of their first day in school.
Would I be left behind? of course not.
Today was my first day too. In Grad School, that is. However, it was far from perfect. My classes start at 6 in the evening and end at 9. And since today was the first day, I was all so prepared and psyched up about heading to school and braving the wet streets of Shaw Boulevard, V. Mapa and Katipunan just to get to my class.
It takes approximately an hour to get to school from our house, so imagine the panic i had when at 5:03pm, I was merely stepping out of the shower! I rushed to pick out the perfect clothes for the perfect first day, but at the back of my mind were the words: "You're late! You're late!" Timing was crucial. I had to pack my things right after that, and literally swoosh through the puddles of rainwater carelessly collected throughout our street. I got on a ride, and by 5:50, i was dripping wet, and was standing on the platform of the LRT 2. "Four minutes and 30 seconds," it read. And there i was, at the mercy of the train and the tricycle i was to board right after.
To cut the long story short, I was late. And lo and behold, my teacher was late too! Or so i thought. I headed straight to the empty classroom, only to find out from the janitor that two students had just left, apparently waiting for the teacher to show up. In other words, there was really no "first day" to talk about. Sweaty, drenched and poorer by 84 pesos (that's the fare to and from school), I walked around the corridors of the dim building, with only the faithful word of the janitor that the first day was cancelled.
Lesson learned? I heard this from one of our college professors: "Prima non datur" or "The first is not given" -- the first meeting in class, that is. And Grad school is definitely not an exception!
And that's what makes the First Day always Perfect.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Babang Luksa
Tomorrow marks our dear Uncle Rolly's 40th day in the Lord's heavenly presence.
But because the Bible says, "With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day" (2 Pet. 3:8), it is difficult to measure by human time how the Lord has already rewarded this great man with Beatific Vision in His presence.
Who knows? While Uncle Rolly was gone from us for a mere 40 days, could he have been rejoicing, relaxing and remaining in the Lord for "thousands of years" already? Wow...
On the other hand, it also amazes me how this tradition of Babang Luksa has sprung up in the Filipino psyche. Those of us who are familiar with this deeply rooted Christian practice know well that this culture of "putting away our sorrowful veils" (hence the term "babang luksa") after 40 days of the death of our loved one springs from Christ's ascension into heaven exactly 40 days after Easter Sunday. Hence, religious as we are, we are assured that as Jesus ascended into heaven, the soul of our beloved departed is taken into heaven.
Today, I rejoice because Uncle Rolly's death has not been in vain. His life has been a living testament of happiness itself. he is the epitome of positivity. And because of this, the 22 years i spent with him were the most optimistic years of my life. Because of his death, his memories, his influence, his advice will continously throb in my heart forever.
To all the people who have been praying for his soul, to all those who have been greiving with us, and to all those who have accompanied our family's journey, allow me to say Thank You from the bottom of our hearts.
Indeed, Uncle Rolly is praying that God would reward your selflessness!
But because the Bible says, "With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day" (2 Pet. 3:8), it is difficult to measure by human time how the Lord has already rewarded this great man with Beatific Vision in His presence.
Who knows? While Uncle Rolly was gone from us for a mere 40 days, could he have been rejoicing, relaxing and remaining in the Lord for "thousands of years" already? Wow...
On the other hand, it also amazes me how this tradition of Babang Luksa has sprung up in the Filipino psyche. Those of us who are familiar with this deeply rooted Christian practice know well that this culture of "putting away our sorrowful veils" (hence the term "babang luksa") after 40 days of the death of our loved one springs from Christ's ascension into heaven exactly 40 days after Easter Sunday. Hence, religious as we are, we are assured that as Jesus ascended into heaven, the soul of our beloved departed is taken into heaven.
Today, I rejoice because Uncle Rolly's death has not been in vain. His life has been a living testament of happiness itself. he is the epitome of positivity. And because of this, the 22 years i spent with him were the most optimistic years of my life. Because of his death, his memories, his influence, his advice will continously throb in my heart forever.
To all the people who have been praying for his soul, to all those who have been greiving with us, and to all those who have accompanied our family's journey, allow me to say Thank You from the bottom of our hearts.
Indeed, Uncle Rolly is praying that God would reward your selflessness!
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Sparkling Gems of Advice
Some true and useful advice from a great theater actress, singer and mother, Ms. Lea Salonga. Taken from her article in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Jan. 28, 2009:
1) A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. (Translation: if you, second chorus girl from the left, suck, so does the show.)
2) Make sure your lifestyle compliments your work. In other words, no unnecessary partying during the run.
3) Self-indulgence has no place here. This is a musical, not a concert.
4) Never ever give less than your best. Even if there are only seven people in the audience, those seven made the effort to watch you. The least you can do is demonstrate your appreciation by giving them a good show.
5) You’re not here to make friends; you’re here to work. (Having said that, I’ve made some really wonderful friends at work.)
6) Live your life as fully as you can. How and where else will you get what you need as an actor?
7) Bring your day into your work, and let it run through you. It doesn’t matter if you had a good or bad day.
8) Warm up thoroughly before the show. But not too much that you have nothing left to give.
9) Listen. If you listen, you won’t be out of tune.
10) You are never funny. The material is.
11) Your job in a musical is to service the show, not the other way around. The whole is much greater than the sum of its parts.
12) Leave your ego at the door. There is no place for it here.
13) Professionalism is more than just being on time. It’s about being prepared, consistent, focused and hardworking.
14) Live each moment as it comes. Don’t anticipate what’s going to happen next.
15) Surrender yourself completely to the experience of being on tour. Take it all in.
16) You signed up for this … don’t complain.
17) Be easy to work with. It’ll make for a happy workplace.
18) Be obsessive in your research for the role you’ll be playing. Your interpretation of that character’s songs will never ever be the same.
19) Learn to not take things personally. Be it a newspaper critic or casting director, you will be judged based on your work, not on the person you are.
20) Don’t behave in a way that will attract disrespect. It’s so easy to make a company hate you … and hate you with a passion. (I’ve heard my share of stories about nightmarish actors who hoard costumes from peers and plant negative thoughts into fellow actors’ minds. Not cool.)
21) Make sure you eat something before rehearsals. You’re going to be on your feet all day.
22) When finding a voice/acting teacher, let it be someone you really get along with and respect.
23) There can be so much power and strength in stillness.
24) Be present in what you’re doing, and invest your heart and soul into it. Everyone will be able to tell if you’re phoning it in.
25) After all is said and done, HAVE FUN! This, after all, is the best job in the world.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Professional / (read: "Slash") Licensed Teacher
November 17 -- It was a totally unexpected text message. It read: "Miggy, Congrats! pasado ka rin!" It was from Gon, my classmate who also took the Licensure Examinations for Teachers. I couldnt believe what i read. I remember myself literally holding back my screams of pure excitement and relief while i read the message to everyone. Fortunately, almost all my co teachers were there, who were equally anxious in awaiting the results. Very amusingly, when my co teachers heard about it, we all dashed to the computer to check it out. Together with me, was Sir Emil. He too, took the exam last September 28, and my, if there was an anxiety meter, his would go way beyond the acceptable limit! Then, lo and behold, his name, together with mine appeared gloriously on the LET Passers list.
Then, we were all able to sigh with relief.
Its funny, now that I have crossed that challenge in every teacher's life, that at first glance, my name is merely a part of the thousand other names written on a black and white broadsheet, and merely a link among the many links on a webpage. Come to think of it, those names are, after all, just names once you are not a part of the action.
And it is equally funny when i think that at this very moment in my life, half of my vocation has been actually fulfilled. i AM a teacher. and this is already for REAL.
But on second thought, two weeks after that text message, no prizes were awarded, no special treatment was given, no extra talents were added. That teacher, who reviewed for the test, took it, and passed it, is that same teacher all throughout. That list will remain a list if i myself, dont take it to the next level. No, it doesnt mean that i should be fighting for the raise in my salary, but that i should take teaching as seriously as i should do breathing.
After all, teaching is not measured in the hours you spend blah blah-ing in the classroom, but in the values you exemplify and form in the young minds who need it.
Then, we were all able to sigh with relief.
Its funny, now that I have crossed that challenge in every teacher's life, that at first glance, my name is merely a part of the thousand other names written on a black and white broadsheet, and merely a link among the many links on a webpage. Come to think of it, those names are, after all, just names once you are not a part of the action.
And it is equally funny when i think that at this very moment in my life, half of my vocation has been actually fulfilled. i AM a teacher. and this is already for REAL.
But on second thought, two weeks after that text message, no prizes were awarded, no special treatment was given, no extra talents were added. That teacher, who reviewed for the test, took it, and passed it, is that same teacher all throughout. That list will remain a list if i myself, dont take it to the next level. No, it doesnt mean that i should be fighting for the raise in my salary, but that i should take teaching as seriously as i should do breathing.
After all, teaching is not measured in the hours you spend blah blah-ing in the classroom, but in the values you exemplify and form in the young minds who need it.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Picking up the Fragments
When we were students, we never thought that our teachers themselves had recollections.
All we knew was that every Tuesday during the examination week, classes would be canceled, and we would pound our minds on our books and notes, attempting to "integrate" everything for the coming exams. Little did I know that while i was at home, anxious about the three-day agony, my teachers were doing some "integrating" on their own.
Its quite amusing that I only knew about this now that i am part of the faculty myself.
And just today, while all of my students were doing what i did six years and so ago, i was enjoying a different privilege of taking my time out with God.
Our half-day recollection was facilitated by Fr. Ben Borja, SDB, in the Small Chapel of the school. He shared his reflections on Jesus as the Model Educator. He enumerated eight points by which we, Salesian Educators, could take Jesus as our model in teaching. Getting his premise from the maxim: "nemo dat non quod habet," or "we cannot give what we do not have," he points out that we teachers should get our inspiration from the Holy Spirit Himself, instead of exhausting ourselves in a mere daily "performance" for the boys.
I was struck by many points. The greatest of them, being the question: "What is my reason for teaching?"
I got fixed right there. I know that i've answered this question a lot of times, and have convinced myself that i had the correct answer all along. But why was i still stuck with this fundamental question to myself? Am I too fixed in the past that i fail to look for new answers? Am I asking too much of myself that merely satisfying the question is never at hand? What is my motivation? What is my driving force? What has put me, and has kept me going through these trying months?
There i was, sitting alone in the chapel. Asking. Thinking. Meditating.
But i never got an answer.
I think i broke myself into a little too many fragments since the school year started. And "recollecting" them in such a short time was very insufficient. Its just like what my spiritual director told me: answers to everything don't come when you expect it. it is like catching a butterfly: the more you move and the more you try to catch it, the more it will fly away. But once you sit down and stay completely still, even without you knowing it, it will come to you.
The main point of a recollection is precisely to "collect again." To collect the memories, fragments, and events of my life and "integrate" it into something which will make me a better person. Tonight, my recollection does not end. i hope that when i come back to school tomorrow, for the first day of the exams, i would be able to see the very inspiration which led me and gave me strength to educate with Jesus' heart: my students.
All we knew was that every Tuesday during the examination week, classes would be canceled, and we would pound our minds on our books and notes, attempting to "integrate" everything for the coming exams. Little did I know that while i was at home, anxious about the three-day agony, my teachers were doing some "integrating" on their own.
Its quite amusing that I only knew about this now that i am part of the faculty myself.
And just today, while all of my students were doing what i did six years and so ago, i was enjoying a different privilege of taking my time out with God.
Our half-day recollection was facilitated by Fr. Ben Borja, SDB, in the Small Chapel of the school. He shared his reflections on Jesus as the Model Educator. He enumerated eight points by which we, Salesian Educators, could take Jesus as our model in teaching. Getting his premise from the maxim: "nemo dat non quod habet," or "we cannot give what we do not have," he points out that we teachers should get our inspiration from the Holy Spirit Himself, instead of exhausting ourselves in a mere daily "performance" for the boys.
I was struck by many points. The greatest of them, being the question: "What is my reason for teaching?"
I got fixed right there. I know that i've answered this question a lot of times, and have convinced myself that i had the correct answer all along. But why was i still stuck with this fundamental question to myself? Am I too fixed in the past that i fail to look for new answers? Am I asking too much of myself that merely satisfying the question is never at hand? What is my motivation? What is my driving force? What has put me, and has kept me going through these trying months?
There i was, sitting alone in the chapel. Asking. Thinking. Meditating.
But i never got an answer.
I think i broke myself into a little too many fragments since the school year started. And "recollecting" them in such a short time was very insufficient. Its just like what my spiritual director told me: answers to everything don't come when you expect it. it is like catching a butterfly: the more you move and the more you try to catch it, the more it will fly away. But once you sit down and stay completely still, even without you knowing it, it will come to you.
The main point of a recollection is precisely to "collect again." To collect the memories, fragments, and events of my life and "integrate" it into something which will make me a better person. Tonight, my recollection does not end. i hope that when i come back to school tomorrow, for the first day of the exams, i would be able to see the very inspiration which led me and gave me strength to educate with Jesus' heart: my students.
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