A surprisingly busy weekend

I got home before 7:00 pm last Thursday as my boss gave me a ride home. As it was Independence Day, we had a 3-day weekend.

June 12 passed by as any ordinary weekend when I laze around the house all day...

Almost! I got bored surfing through TV channels when I decided to invite my friend to watch a movie for P15.00 only at SM Manila. This was the second time we did it. Just last week, we watched Ink Heart. This Friday, we saw The Golden Compass. We went home right after seeing the movie.

As soon as I opened my eyes Saturday morning, I checked the time on my cell phone. I received text messages from 2 friends, 1 was from my best friend updating me on what she did all week and how she would spend the weekend. The other one was from a friend I haven't seen in a while inviting me to join other friends just to hang out that night. As I thought of just another boring day waiting for the day to end, I confirmed at once that I would join them.

After sending my replies, I washed my clothes and did some other household chores. It was nearly time to prepare to go out. The thing is, I haven't received confirmation yet if plans would push through or not. We met an hour after our originally scheduled meeting time.

Was I glad I joined them. It was truly a night filled with fun and laughter! We ate at a Japanese restaurant, then took a short ride to a videoke bar where we sang to our hearts' content for 2 hours, then walked in a street free of transportation and people with few lights to the nearest night hang out where we had 1 bottle of beer each while watching a band. We separated at 1:30 am.

I set my alarm for 4:00 am to pick up my mom from the airport. Her plane was due to arrive at 6:00 am. She got out at 6:30 am. She distributed our pasalubongs to those of us at home. I took a short nap, then she decided to go duty-free shopping. Actually, I shopped, she just watched me do it. Then we went home for a short while just to drop off the things that I bought. We proceeded to visit my nieces where Mama gave her pasalubong. I was truly tired when I got home tonight, I went to bed at once.

As luck would have it, I haven't slept a wink all night. That was when I decided to write this entry.

Loving and Hurting

I attended the mass yesterday. The homily tackled loving and hurting. The priest explained it well. These are the highlights.

The priest said that a priest defined loving, in Tagalog, pagmaMAHAL as the opposite of pagMURA. He said that when you love, you elevate that person. Its opposite pagMURA is having lower regard for that person. Just like loving God, you elevate Him even higher. However, we cannot elevate God anymore because He is above all things. In His greatness, He meets us midway so we can know Him and love Him more.

Translating this to love among and between humans, when we love a person, we elevate that person, we put him in high regard, minaMAHAL. When we start devaluing that person, one of the expressions could be pagmuMURA, literally cursing. As a result, the devalued person is hurt.

The priest also said that yesterday's Gospel is a contradiction, quoting, "Now, I give you a new commandment: love one another just as I have loved you, you also must love one another." (John 13:34) It is a contradiction because Jesus commanded that we perform something that comes out naturally. For example, adults command a child to eat heartily so that the child will be healthy. In the same way that adults command an obese child to eat less for the same reason, to be healthy. When we were still in school, our parents commanded that we study well. We all know how hard following that commandment could be. So why should we be commanded to love when we do it automatically?

Jesus commands that we love one another because though it is a MUST, it is hard to do, just like proper eating and studying well. When we exert that much effort in loving, we are hurt when we people do not respond well to our actions, hence the extra effort to follow His commandment.

traveling in England

I spent 16 happy days in England on vacation!

I'm still uploading my pictures in http://preciousanne.multiply.com/photos/album/4/Tour_of_England

Hopefully, I'll create an entry on the highlights of my vacation sometime soon.

2008 Christmas break

I truly love the Christmas season because almost everyone is good to everybody else. Everyone loves to share their blessings simply because it's Christmas. Here's my holiday season journal.

Dec. 20, Saturday
Sis Jenny invited 3 of us to watch the Paskuhan Festival in Pampanga. She went home ahead so. In the end, Sis Eva was too tired to join, so it was just me and Sis Jennie Anna who went there. This is when the fun started. We took the wrong bus! We passed by the town we had to go to by about 2 towns. When we got to the place where we were supposed to be, we were very hungry, so we had a bonding over dinner at the mall. We were thinking of skipping the show altogether, the major reason we went there, because the place was very crowded. As we were able to find space, we finished the program until the fireworks display. The lanterns were just awesome!
We went to Sis Jenny's place shared cake with her family then slept at 2:00 a.m.

Dec. 21, Sunday
We woke up late, ate a very delicious tall glass of halo-halo then went back to Manila.
As soon as I arrived, I dropped off my things then went to the mall with my mom. I was able to do my Christmas shopping only this day! I was able to buy toys for my brothers, nephew and nieces.
I looked for my mom's favorite perfume and reserved it because, as it was expensive, I was short on cash.
We went home so I could drop off my things, left my mom at home, and headed off to another mall to buy more presents.

Dec. 22, Monday
I reported for work and a good friend told me to drop by his office as he will give me a gift! As I needed to go back to the mall to buy my mom's perfume I reserved, and as I didn't want to simply get my gift and leave him empty-handed, I wasn't able to claim my gift.

Dec. 23, Tuesday
My friend was supposed to wait for me in his office after 5:00 p.m. so we could exchange gifts but was driven out by the security guards at 4:00 p.m. as office hours ended at 12:00 noon.
He called me up that night and we agreed to see each other during the Christmas break.
I received a text message from my VP checking if I would report for work the next day. She needed me to work on her powerpoint presentation.

Dec. 24, Wednesday
In the office, I lacked the materials for inclusion in the presentation so I went home at 3:00 p.m. When I got there, the whole family was present.
In the last 2 years, we checked into hotels New Year's eve so the kids could swim and enjoy the fireworks display sans the noise and smoke. This year, we decided to skip it for economic reasons. My heart went to my nephew when he said he was looking forward to checking into a hotel on new year's eve. I joked that if he would give me the money everyone gave him for Christmas, we could do it. He gave me all the cash he had, P370.00.

Christmas Day
It was a very traditional day for us. We went to my tita's house as our dear Lola was there. We had lunch then gift-giving. The whole time, family members took turns singing along the videoke while others danced to ballroom music. To say that everyone was happy is an understatement.

Dec. 27, Saturday
I met with a friend, ate dinner then watched Ang Tanging Ina Ninyong Lahat. We had a good laugh.

Dec. 28, Sunday
I couldn't forget how my nephew looked when he told me he wanted to check into a hotel on new year's eve so we decided to do it again. After calling up a few hotels, my sister-in-law booked a room for us at the Renaissance Hotel.

Dec. 29, Monday
We paid the reservation fee and shopped for things to bring to the hotel. My mom had the flu but she tried her best to pace herself so she join in all our activities.

Dec. 30, Tuesday
We checked into the hotel, roamed around Makati, took out KFC for dinner, watched TV while the kids enjoyed the bathtub then went to sleep.

Dec. 31, Wednesday
The kids went swimming, we had lunch treated by my youngest brother, the kids swam again in the afternoon, we dined out at dinner then watched the fireworks display.

New Year's Day
The kids swam for about an hour, we had brunch then checked out.

January 3, Saturday
My mom still has the colds but she's feeling a little bit better now.

Though the break was 12 days, I was never bored because I rarely stayed at home. Bonding moments and days with the family were well-spent. I didn't even have the time to read books. It was a well-enjoyed break.

May you be blessed

May you be blessed with all things good. May your joys, like the stars at night, be too numerous to count. May your victories be more abundant than all the grains of sand on all the beaches, on all the oceans in all the world. May lack and struggle be absent from your life and may beauty order and abundance be your constant companions. May every pathway you choose lead to that which is pure and good and lovely.

May every doubt and fear be replaced by a deep abiding trust as you behold evidence of a Higher Power all around you. And when there is only darkness and the storms of life are closing in, may the light at the core of your being illuminate the world.

May you always be aware you are loved beyond measure and may you be willing to love unconditionally in return.

May you always feel protected and cradled in the arms of God, like the cherished child you are. And when you are tempted to judge, may you be reminded that we are all one and that every thought you think reverberates across the universe touching everyone and everything. And when you are tempted to hold back, may you remember that love flows best when it flows freely and it is in giving that we receive the greatest gift.

May you always have music and laughter and may a rainbow follow every storm. May gladness wash away every disappointment. May joy dissolve every sorrow and may love ease every pain. May every wound bring wisdom and may every trial bring triumph and with each passing day, may you live more abundantly than the day before.

This is my heartfelt wish for you.

May you be blessed and may others be blessed by you. May you be blessed with all things good.

KATE NOVAK (www.mayyoubeblessedmovie.com)

Christmas party plans

Come to think of it, this is not the first time I'll be joining my former office's Christmas party as a guest. In DLSU, I continued joining the parties in Vibal. When I went there, it was as if I never left. My reunion with them at those times were truly special.

Last year was my first Christmas season in my present office. Annually, the office receives plenty of delicious foods from various offices and people.

Last week, I chatted with a friend from my former office. I joked that maybe she would like to invite me to their Christmas party. She took it seriously and told 2 more of our common friends. As a result, they will share the payment for my attendance in their Christmas party dinner. Traditionally, guests judge the performances of each group. After dinner, who knows where we'll go.

I know it will be a lot of fun. I'm really looking forward to it.

My Special Day This Year

It was my birthday yesterday. Finally, I was able to enjoy it the way I wanted to in the last 5 years or so.

Monday after office, I attended the Singles for Christ (SFC) Christian Life Program (CLP) at La Salle. My birthday was announced. I just treated 4 of my friends to fast food. They asked me how I would celebrate THE DAY. I told them I plan to stay in bed all day. At exactly midnight, I received a text message from a good friend. When I got home, I watched a few episodes of Friends on DVD. Then I received another greeting at around 1:30 am. I slept at 2:00 a.m.

On the day of my birthday, there was light rain. I was so lazy waking up but I got up then went to MOA. When I checked my phone, I already received a number of text messages. As I told my friends that I had no special plans for THE DAY, they thoughtfully asked if I wanted to do lady stuff like have a facial treatment. I politely told them I was already out of the house. I had a set meal for one at The Aristocrat, watched the movie Body of Lies, had coffee and cake at Seattle's Best while I played Sudoku, attended mass at La Salle, went home and continued the DVD marathon.

Finally, I was able to enjoy my birthday without pressures of going out with family and friends and doing the things I want to without consultation with anyone. I truly appreciate their presence in my life but I felt that this year, I just want to keep my special day to do as I pleased when I wanted to. It was my simplest birthday.

Would I want to do it in the exact manner next year? I'll see what I am in the mood for when that time comes.

Reflection for the Day

I attended a very personal retreat a few years back where there were no agendas set by the organizer and the retreatant was in total control of the topic and the pacing of events for 2 and a half days.

One of the things my retreat master told me was the Web site Sacred Space. It is a great way to start my day. My thoughts, words and actions would have a guide when I took the conscious effort to do so.

This one is really nice.

Prayer is its own reward to the extent that we always receive when we pray. We are closer to God’s love and the door is always opened to new hope and new confidence in our lives. We may not get all we want, or specific things we ask for. We get what God wants to give at the time for the good of our lives. What we are always given in prayer is God’s Holy Spirit with whatever gift of the Spirit we most need at the time.

Hope the site touches you the same way I was inspired.

My Summer Infatuation

I know, summer in the Philippines is in the months of April and May. It is in the US where summer occurs in June to August. Still...

I began chatting with this guy in 2004. I went to his office to request something, he was the one who attended to my request. After awhile, we started chatting online. We see each other around but never talked in person. I became good friends with his lady officemate. This friendship was in no connection with him.

Months after, they ordered food as they worked overtime. My friend asked him why he ordered so little. He announced for all his officemates to hear that he would have dinner with me. My friend told him she would inform me about it and did just that via a text message. He seemed to enjoy being teased about us by his officemates then. He never asked me out.

I got sick, I confided in him as he seemed trustworthy.

Then he had a girlfriend. Need I say that he found her online? The lady is an OFW. She came home to the Philippines for 3 weeks in summer, they finally meet in person. The day after the lady went back to work abroad, she called him up to inform him that she is engaged and about to get married to someone else. That was the end of their 5 and a half months of relationship.

My guy friend was very saddened by it. He confided in me over the telephone. Then he invited me to have dinner with him. We were both uneasy. He spends a few days out of town alone. This is nothing out of the ordinary as he constantly does it whenever time and finances permit. I asked him out to dinner and asked him about his weekend vacation. His face lit up. He described every little detail of his vacation. We both had a great time.

We started going out every two weeks, then weekly, then twice a week. I was very comfortable with him. He never took advantage of my “closeness” to him. Our typical night outs during the week was just dinner, strolling and a lot of talking. We talked about everything that came to our minds and answered every question we thought of. We also went out on Saturdays where we had dinner, saw a movie then strolled a lot. I let him take charge of everything whenever we went out. He pampered me well, he never let my plate be empty, entertained me with stories and always wanted to know what went on inside my head. This went on for 3 months. I hinted heavily all the while that I really like him. He was very cool about it.

Then he became busy in the office. I couldn’t understand why he couldn’t take the time off to spend with me even on weekends just like before but said nothing for 1 month. I felt he was brushing me off. I was hurt. I had so many stories to share with him but I wanted to do it face to face just like before. I sent him a bare-my-soul e-mail wondering what happened to our so-called relationship crying the whole time I was composing it. I didn’t stop at that. I removed him from all my online network connections.

Now, in retrospect, events occurred to prepare us both for our eventual separation. All chat networks have been blocked in the office.

He called me on the phone. He told me it was as if I severed him from my life. We patched things up. I dropped by his office just to make sure that things were ok between us. He was pleasantly surprised. Still, he never took the time to see me.

Just then, I don’t know if my sickness was returning but my left foot turned at the ankle again each time I stepped as I was wearing high heeled shoes. The only thing puzzling to me though was my sickness skipped a few stages. I cried for several days and nights out of fear in the office, as I was commuting, and when I was alone. As he was one of my confidantes before, he was the first person I told about my dilemma. He was very sympathetic but we never went out again.

I shared my story with my lady friends. At first they did not pay attention and just changed topic whenever I brought it up. When I consistently told them I was sad, that was when they shared their experiences.

They wisely told me to just wait patiently and that relationships go through that stage. One even enumerated the things that would happen accurately from the time we got close, the cooling off period without explanation that would hurt me, me asking him about it, he not wanting to talk about it, me hinting that I need explanations, he shutting me out, the more I pressed him about it, the more he never wanted to talk about it. Another lady friend even told me a very wise quotation, “When men say no, that is the end of conversation. When women say yes, that is the start of negotiation.”

My lady friends reminded me that they warned me from the start going out with him consistently would entail emotional investment. They likewise told me that they guided me throughout the process. Then they told me that they understood no matter how much advice they would give me, I wouldn’t understand it unless I go through the process.

For all it’s worth, I think the magic was real for both of us but I became impatient in not seeing him for 3 months now. I did the most common stupid things most women did. I was the typical female, he the typical male. The final straw that broke the camel's back for both of us, so to speak, was my fear of the relapse of my sickness. However, contrary to how these relationships end up, I honestly think we’ll be very good friends again eventually as we were just that, no more than good friends.

Office Blooper

My boss had been quite busy with meetings the past two weeks. As a result, the processing of requests for sponsorships was delayed.

I am tasked in the office to file processed papers and make phone calls to relay regrets for denied sponsorships.

One of those who requested laughed when I told him the message. It turned out, the event was held in September 16.

We both had a good laugh.

Is it just September 2008?

What a year this has been so far!

Personally, 2007 ended on a high note as I experienced a great miracle. I got well from an incurable disease. Thank God, I have been free from taking the prescription medicine for that sickness and still my mind and body are functioning as efficiently as ever.

At that time, my faith in God was at an all-time high. I was positive that nothing will ever be impossible for me as I can personally ask God for anything, work hard for it, and request trusted friends to include me in their prayers.

One of the first things I did was to dream of becoming a diplomat. Was I inspired at that time! I had a clear definite goal and a good plan to achieve it -- learn Spanish, enroll in the review school, pass all the 4 exams. As a third language was part of the exam, I enrolled in Spanish classes. Even though I knew there would be an overlap between the last two weeks of Spanish classes and the first two weeks of the diplomat exam review classes, I pushed through with it. It was ok for me that I had no idle time even after classes were over as I was very busy reading all the materials, the newspapers, and international political magazines, and watching all local and international news on TV. Then I failed the first test, the IQ exam.

I can still recall how directionless I felt then. Admittedly, I wanted to be a diplomat because I am still single. I reasoned, since I would grow old alone, I might as well offer my life to worthy causes marketing the Philippines and providing service to Filipinos all over the globe. Then I failed the IQ exam. I could retake it next year, I don't know if it is plain sourgraping on my part but I don't want to go through that again.

Toward the end of the review classes, I started getting close with a guy I've been chatting with online since 2004. We both enjoyed semi-fine dining on international cuisines, started hanging out twice a week (at its most frequent), then he got very busy with work. I looked forward to face-to-face conversations with him at this time that I stubbornly refused sharing stories with him online. Sad to say but as I was waiting for the time we would see each other again, he just resumed his life pattern before he knew me. I was hurt, sent him a succinct email, he was hurt by it, we talked on the phone to patch things up, I dropped by his office unannounced. I think it was the clean break both of us wanted though I will never know the reason he wanted the break in the first place. This happened in a span of 4 months.

Others may wonder if I had a job all this time. Of course I was never out of work. It's hard to believe that I entered the office only in February 2007. I likewise got close to a mommy in the office who was just 3 years older than me. She filed for early retirement in February effective June. From February to June, she betrayed all my confidences and passed on her work load to me without proper orientation. In comparison to my previous jobs, I am compensated well enough in this office. I didn't mind giving out financial assistance to my brothers. As their family finances was not that good this year, I was only glad that I could help them. Now, my savings is smaller compared to last year's.

I told my friend last night that I felt 2008 was a trying year for me but I can't really complain as I bounced quickly after the setbacks. I feel that the good Lord was slightly harsh in molding me in several ways this year. Definitely, I was shaped by all of this year's events more than ever. I sincerely hope that this year would still end up the best way possible.

Comments, anyone?

Once bitten, twice shy

This past week, I read the latest bestseller pocketbook for teens, Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. It was a good way to spend idle time after I learned I failed the IQ exam. I think my pride is not yet over this so I cannot write about the topic in full length just yet. It’s just that I was so sure it was my destiny! I told all of my friends and family about it and prayed for it passionately. To say that I listened attentively in each class is an understatement! I established friendly ties with my classmates as I was positive they would be my colleagues as a diplomat.

Then I failed the IQ exam. The long and short of it is, I’m not good enough. Most of my friends and classmates urge me until now to retake it but as the cliché goes, “Once bitten, twice shy.” That’s all my pride can handle for now.

As I am writing this, only clichés enter my mind. Reading the review materials and supplements amaze me with “learning things I never knew I never knew” (line from the song Colors of the Wind). I liked the self-motivation of pushing my abilities beyond the limit. Well, as they say, the rest is history.

Recently, a good friend wanted me to watch the Food Network on cable so we have common ground as an interesting conversation starter. I tried, truly, but I have lost taste in spending much time in front of the TV, hence, this blog post. I dropped by a bookstore before going home and looked for a copy of New Moon (by the same author), the second instalment to the saga. I was informed that the stock would arrive some time tonight. I will definitely buy it tomorrow.

For now, I am back to killing time after office by watching the news, going online, reading pocketbooks, and updating my blog.

I took the IQ exam this morning

So much has happened since my last post. It just goes to show how busy I have been lately. During the Holy Week, I went to Puerto Galera for 4 days and 3 nights with 2 former officemates one of whom brought along her 2 chidren. The following weekend, I went to postcard-perfect view Mount Pinatubo. The scenery was just breathtaking!

However, these were just the breaks in between my Saturday review classes which started on April 5 until June 21. Have I ever mentioned this is right after my Saturday Spanish classes which started February 9 until March 29?

I literally scanned three 2-inch GMAT, SAT and GRE reviewers every now and then whenever I felt like it. I bought the GMAT reviewer, 2 thoughtful friends lent the other reviewers to me. I actually felt greedy to get my hands on their reviewers plus the fact that I didn't have the heart to turn down their offers. As early as Monday last week, I have been sending text messages to friends and family to pray for me. The entire time, my emotions swung from feeling totally nothing to panic in a matter of second without triggers. By Friday last week, it dawned on me that an IQ exam gauges if my mental capacity is good enough for the job or not.

I went on vacation leave on Friday, attended mass with my mother at Quiapo Church as it is its weekly feast day, and went to the venue still with my mother. I went to sleep at 10 pm last night so I would wake up refreshed, not! I woke up past 12 midnight and wasn't able to go to sleep till before 4:00 am. My mom woke me up at around 4:20 with breakfast ready.

I was thinking of how I would indulge myself after the exam, maybe buy a magazine then stay in a coffee shop to read then watch a movie when my mother told me she would wait at the venue until after the exam. I arrived at the venue and entered the classroom where I was assigned in plenty of time before 7:00 am, the time we were expected to be at the venue in the exam permit.

At the start, I was quite confident with the answers I chose. After an hour and 30 minutes, I felt the tension in my neck and shoulders. I finished the exam at 10:45 and promptly left the venue. My mother and I had lunch at Robinson's Place-Malate then went home.

I'm still waiting to feel panicked about the result of the exam but honestly, I am as calm as I can be. Well, now it's all in God's hands. All I can do is wait patiently for the result to come out 3 weeks before the written exam as an acquaintance informed me. Until then...

While on Programmed Sick Leave

Last Friday, I went on programmed sick leave in the office. Finally, I was able to submit my foreign service officer exam requirements to the DFA. I went to the Central Post Office to get self-addressed stamped priority mail envelopes, then off to SM Manila for pictures of various sizes, crossed the street to the Manila City Hall to have my application notarized, then off to the DFA.

I thought I had more than enough copies of the required documents. It turned out, the instructions were really ambiguous. As the cliche goes, all's well that ends well. They accepted my documents and I now have the school assignment where I will take the exam on May 4.

Disaster Preparedness

Last Thursday, I was tasked to attend the disaster preparedness seminar as representative of our unit. I didn't want to attend it, at first, as I preferred working in our room. Was I glad I obediently followed my boss. I attended talks on fire, earthquake and tsunami rescue operations.

The following day, I was on sick leave. My boss covered day 2 of the seminar for the company newsletter. She told me this morning that it was too bad I wasn't around then as the speaker was so cute.

Today, there was a fire drill complete with real firemen, fire truck, extinguishers, smoke, "victims," search and rescue team, and my unit, the medical team. They required me to use the fire extinguisher and the fire hose.

Saying that I learned a lot in the seminar is an understatement.

Sudoku Loco and Tabloid Crosswords

My mental exercises every morning is to solve at least one easy to medium level Sudoku puzzle and tabloid crossword puzzles everyday. It is as if my day is not complete without these rituals =)

The First Step

I went on programmed sick leave yesterday (har! har!) afternoon to enroll in basic Spanish class. I was surprised myself with my determination to be a diplomat.

I tell all my good friends about my plan. I feel so blest that they are all supportive.

I want to be a diplomat

I cannot exactly recall how and when I knew of the Foreign Service Officer (FSO) exam. All I remember now are bits and parcels of my dream to be a diplomat. There were times I searched for the exam schedule only to find out that I missed it by a few months already. I once asked an officemate who took the exam a few years back. He told me a brief overview. Then I saw a review class for it. I inquired through e-mail a few weeks before it started only to be answered by the coordinator a few days after the class began.

I attended a meeting once where I met someone who knows a former schoolmate who works for the Department of Foreign Affairs. She told me that my schoolmate, a licensed FSO, has already been posted abroad. I searched for my schoolmate's e-mail and sent her one promptly. I told her that I am inspired by her achievements since high school graduation. She promptly replied and told me to take the FSO exam.

That was when I literally became obssessed with it. I looked for information about it on the internet. Now I know that the FSO exam has a 90% mortality rate. This is even higher than the bar exam's mortality rate! the exam is divided into 3 parts. I learned that yearly, an average of 3000 applicants take the first exam. It is an SAT type but at this early stage, only around 300 pass to take the second set.

I saw blogs of 4 Pinoy diplomats. One posted rephrased questions which were given in 2006. The other 3 shared their lives as FSOs.

From then on, I subscribed to a newspaper, bought an SAT reviewer, read whichever is the better issue between Time and Nesweek magazines for the week, and regularly visited the Web sites of the World Economic Forum, ASEAN, and World Trade Organization. I likewise stopped watching sine-serye because the time I have to read and be updated about all possible exam questions is never enough. Now, I literally have no idle time among working, preparing for the FSO exam and my part-time job.

I told my friends about it and I'm overwhelemed by their support. For example, my friends and I still talk about trivial office and showbiz gossip once in a while but now our conversation topics focus more on world and Philippine affairs.

As I become more updated with Philippine political news, my desire evolved from being a diplomat to helping the Philippines in all ways I can. It could be that I am already thinking of an excuse should I fail the SAT type of exam but I am truly saddened by the turnout of most of the events in the Philippines. I sincerely want to help improve Philippine society as I feel that Filipinos can excel in any field of his/her choice. I want to market the Philippines to the world that we are a race of brilliant minds and loving hearts.

Cyber Relationships

A little backgrounder on me... I worked in a university Web site for more than 4 years. I practically had access to most, if not all, internet technologies. I have been using the computer in my work 8 hours a day 5 days a week since 2002. But that's even disregarding working with my computer 6 days a week for an average of 13 hours in 1999-2002. The point is, I use the computer to get things done in my work!

I belong to about 8 e-groups to get in touch with friends and to learn the latest trends and events in the industries I belong to. Though I was a Web writer, I had this blog fairly recently. I also chat with friends though it is blocked. I looked for ways to work around the firewall.

I have been a friendster member for several years already. A day doesn't pass without me sending an e-mail to a friend or to an officemate. I read online news everyday.

I am not tech savvy but I definitely know how to use communication technologies.

I'm just amazed that I have two of the most serious friends who have found love on the internet!
And these people are not the young ones either. One is a 40-year old guy and the other is a 35-year old lady. The guy is the most quiet person I know, while the lady is a university professor.

Come to think of it, I shouldn't be surprised that the guy "connected" with a lady on the internet. After all, I knew of the personal details about him through asking him while we chat. Things he wouldn't have told me in person, that's 100% sure. I wouldn't have dared ask him in person as well because he doesn't say much. He presently has a girlfriend by randomly selecting a beautiful person on friendster and chatting with her over a webcam.

As I said, the lady is a 35-year old university professor. She is very selective of her friends because she is a very private person. This lady met her present boyfriend over friendster as well.

I personally add guys as friends over friendster though I don't know them. As far as I'm concerned, that's as bold as I can be over friendster.

Someone asked me if I chat with guys I don't know. I honestly answered that unless referred by a common friend, I don't chat with strangers.

Should I take a lesson from my good friends? That's a thought!

Name your blessings

I attended the January 2 mass at the office. The priest had a nice homily. He said that we shouldn't simply count our blessings but we should name them as well. I tried it and I became more appreciative of the things I have.
Off the top of my head, these are the blessings I received in 2007:
1. I personally experienced a miracle. I got well from an incurable disease.
2. My prayers started to evolve into responsive conversations with God.
3. God made it easy for me to spread His love by letting a good number of people know that it is alive and present everywhere.
4. I finally understood that God's gifts are given by a loving father, that I shouldn't be afraid of accepting His gifts. They are given out of genuine love.
5. I presently have a better paying job. I am able to share my blessings and still have enough to enjoy life and for my security.
6. In addition to my full-time job, I had several part-time jobs that had reasonable working hours and paid enough, considering my lifestyle, at least.
7. I continue to have meaningful friendships. Old friends started getting in touch with me again. I gained new friends.
8. I travelled out of town and abroad with family and friends.
I'm sure this list will get longer and be more meaningful as I reflect on the topic. The prayer that keeps on entering my mind now is the Serenity Prayer:

Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
the courage to change the things I can;
and the wisdom to know the difference.

Restaurant Blog

My friend and I shopped for one whole day. She suggested we ate at this steak house she saw on the internet. We tried it out and it was great!

I checked out the site. It is really good. It has descriptive reviews, mouth watering pictures of foods, guides on how to get to the restaurant and the prices of the foods.

I placed a link to the site in my sidebar menu.

Christmas Message 2007

This is the Christmas e-mail I sent to friends this year.

It's Christmas once again. Many people joyfully wait for this time of the year to renew old ties and strengthen new ones.

Let us always keep in mind that Christmas is the time to celebrate God's love as He unselfishly shared His son to live among us and be our redeemer. We can never repay this great privilege as our desire to praise and honor Him is also born out of the grace He showers upon us.

Our sincere gratitude can only be manifested by maximizing the gifts He gave to us. May we give glory to God in the way we live our lives.

Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!

Simbang Gabi

I attended only three simbang gabi this year. My excuse is so many things to do. One mass stood out in my memory.

The priest radiated the aura of a loving Lolo with a big booming voice. The first thing he said on the microphone was that the choir is present at every mass to lead the people to sing. ALL should sing as practically everybody knows the song "Joy to the World." Having said that, he made everyone sing the entrance song again! Everybody was surprised and complied.

My Niece's Birthday and Shopping

Since I was employed by my current office, my mother felt that I have more than enough money for the whole family! It is most probably because I am such a show off. I really don't mind spoiling them with food. They're also happy receiving a small amount of money they don't expect every now and then. Truth be told, they are really so easy to please. They sincerely appreciate even the smallest things given to them.
It was my niece's birthday yesterday. However, as it was a school day, my mother chose Saturday to treat her eldest granddaughter financed by me. She planned that I should spend for my brother's family's lunch and snacks in a mall. I gave in.
The day prior to it, Friday, I was finally paid by my part-time job for the work I rendered! It was only a partial amount. On Sunday morning, I woke up early, ate a heavy breakfast, and prepared for a whole day of shopping. I was able to buy black and brown office shoes and bags, and a pair of sandals. As I haven't gone malling in quite awhile, I felt truly revived! The money I received from my part-time job went to shopping and for the birthday of my niece.
By mid-afternoon, i wanted to shop for clothes, rubber shoes and a lot of other small things more. After I lied down on my bed, I felt how tired I was. Hence, I stayed home.
How surprised my officemates were when I reported for work yesterday in my new stiletto shoes.

The 6.0 Magnitude Earthquake of Nov. 27, 2007

I have been so busy that day that I was not able to write about one of the most exciting events that has happened in a long time. More accurately, the most exciting event where I was in the middle of things.

I had lunch in a restaurant near the office. Usually, I take the stairs up and down to the sixth floor. This is the one time I rode the elevator. By the time I was in the third floor, the elevator was slightly shaking. As I reached the fourth floor, I was thinking, "Does the elevator shake because I was so light?" Upon seeing I was on the fifth floor, I was thinking, "Will I reach the sixth floor? I sincerely hope the elevator chains will not break."

Finally, the door opened on the sixth floor! As I was getting out, I saw many people running toward my direction. In the office, we have a policy that we should log out and in for the noon break. There should also be a 30-minute interval between the log out and log in. When I checked my wrist watch, it was just 12:27. I wondered if all the people running toward the direction of the bundy clock were so desperate to log at that instant.

I saw people from my department and approached them. I asked them what all the commotion was about. It was only then that I felt the floor shake. In addition to that, my officemate told me there was an earthquake. There is a veranda in all floors in the office. When the men were able to open it, all of us went there.

Would you believe I was laughing through it all! That was until I saw my boss. She looked shaken. I asked her if she was ok. She told me she felt dizzy. I escorted her to the veranda.

I went back to my desk and saw several instant messages from concerned friends asking me if I felt the earthquake. All people in Metro Manila were literally shaken up that time.

Inspired!

Once, while I was on vacation, my officemate sent a text message. Our boss was looking for a letter she assigned me to write. Among teaching my officemate how to use computer peripherals and looking for the file through numerous text messages, they found the letter.

Now, one month after I wrote it, my boss asked me to write four versions of the revised letter I wrote. I was actually excited when she told me about it. I was able to finish writing after two hours. The following day, while she was out of the office attending a meeting, she called me up to ask me to write three more versions of the same letter! She was kind enough to tell me that the letters I wrote were good but she needs three more versions anyway. That was eight new versions in all! While I was writing the seventh version, I was flattered because I felt that I was inspired! I never ran out of ways to express the same thought in that situation.

On the third day, my boss called me up again to ask for one more version of the letter. That's eight new versions in all! By this time, I was both worried if I could produce new version yet excited to rack my brains for the new version. I was able to finish it in 15 minutes.

Could you blame me if I was smiling ear to ear upon submission of the last version of the letter? :)

Closures and Beginnings

I never liked leaving projects hanging in the middle of it all. I also know that I can only do so much as a member of the team.

From the start of accepting assignments as part-time English editor, I expected to receive returned letters from less than satisfied clients. I was surprised that I never did! Then again, I spoke too soon.

As I had so many after office activities scheduled Thursday to Sunday this week, I took a leave of absence in my part-time job. In my previous entry, I mentioned that I have been promoted to writer. I still recall the proud feeling which overwhelmed me then. That was until I received my first returned output. Call me swell-headed but the way I see it, the client returned the letter because he neglected to mention matters he wanted to see in his letters. I implemented the revisions as he "demanded." I hope that would be the end of it.

On another note, my very busy doctor finally had the time to go over my e-mail. It was really surprising that he made minimal changes to the article I wrote. I expected my article to be overhauled but I was proven wrong. I hope this magazine issue ends well soon.

In times like this, I think of the reason I became a writer. Truth be known, it was the only talent I had as a high school student that I could develop to earn a living as a professional later on. I talked with fellow writer in the office. I asked them their motivation for wanting to be a writer. As expected, we had different stories. The truth is, we feel that we have written about a wide range of matters but never really mastered a single topic. You can only imagine how we gather data from less than cooperative people to come up with a decent article. I am oftentimes amazed by God's gifts when He works through making me write significant compositions. I can improve with constant practice or lose the skills I have now should I not use them. I can honestly say that being a writer is truly a calling.

A Long Weekend

I always look forward to All Saints' Day. This is the only time of the year when my mom allows me to go home to the province. (The reason for this is another story). I was really glad that this year, the local elections fell on this week as well which gave me an excuse to spend five whole days in Mindoro.

Going home to Mindoro is like a personal retreat for me. Our home gives me the physical space conducive to thinking about what I have been doing lately. This puts my perspective in place.

I hardly had time to get bored because I juggled savoring the silence, playing Sudoku, surfing the TV and layouting the Philippine Parkin. This is the official newsletter of the Parkinson's Support Group of the Philippines Foundation (PSGPF).

After I got well, I told my neurologist that I want to help the PSGPF in any way I can. I told him I can write, edit, layout a newsletter or maintain a Web page. He assigned me to write and layout the Philippine Parkin. At first, I was quite shy in dedicating two pages for my healing story. As I went along layouting, I realized that I lacked articles and went ahead with it anyway.

Truth be known, I am actually quite excited with this project. I see it as a project that is worth doing though I know I won't get paid for it. Though I haven't finished one edition yet, I am quite fulfilled working on it.

When I came back to Manila, I was surprised to receive an e-mail from a part-time job my friend told me about. It is not because someone actually replied but because the e-mail has a surprising content. My friend told me that when she applied for the job, she was accepted at once, and was given an article to edit right away. She even forwarded to me the mechanics of editing because by that time, I haven't submitted my resume yet.

The e-mail to me was different. First, it came from an American. He said in his e-mail that I need to work on the attached test file and then I will be scheduled for an interview. I am just curious as to why my friend and I went through different processes. I finished working on the article just now.

A Sentimental Letter

Someone I know asks me to write personal letters once in a while. This one surprised me.

To my good friend,

I have gone through the experience of losing several family members over the years and I know words will never be enough to lighten the pain.

Still, I know your father led a full life and you were a great source of his happiness and fulfillment. Just when we thought we are all grown up because our kids can already stand on their own, we are still only our parents' children. We will still only be as good as the examples they set, as good as the values they taught.

Many people think you are privileged because you're well provided for. However, the real privilege is being mentored by a person as great as your father.

We can never really repay our parents and they don't really expect us to. The highest praise we could give them is passing on all the learnings they taught us to our children and to the people we share our lives with, so their legacy will live on.

We became friends because we had common interests. The real measure of our friendship is how we stand by each other during the low times in our lives.

God bless you and the rest of the family.

Love lots

Articles Published in Newspapers and a Magazine

Articles Written (Part 1)

These are the articles I wrote in the office newsletter when I still worked for the university, 2004-2005. I am still re-encoding the older articles.

March 30, 2005

Search by Google in DLSU Web Site

The newest function of the DLSU-Manila Web site is the search by Google feature (http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/help/search/google.asp) found in the Help page. This page gives you two (2) options to search the dlsu.edu.ph domain exclusively. If you tick the second option, you will see a note which will indicate that the dlsu.edu.ph domain was searched exclusively. At the bottom of the same page, the options “Search within results” and the “Search Tips” are clickable.

Atomz Search Upgrade
One would think 6,000 Web pages is already a respectable number for a university Web site. Would you believe that the DLSU domain has exceeded this limit?
As of October 2004, our Atomz search engine crawls 8,000 pages. The Atomz search function indexes Web sites by crawling through the pages no matter how information is organized. It can search through ASP, PHP, or other dynamic pages. It can create reports useful in learning visitors’ Web navigation behaviour. Atomz account holders can even control search results based on relevance settings.
These information help the DOCU Team customize search results. The best example is the redirection to the My.LaSalle Log-in Page when one searches for MLS.

CSB Classes
The DOCU Team takes continuous improvement seriously and took courses at the College of Saint Benilde (CSB) School of Design and Arts – Multimedia Arts program, individually. The thought was born during the Planning Workshop sessions held at the onset of the current school year. Most of us expressed sentiments that we were interested in taking sit-in classes. As a result, out trainings now include:

Reynaldo R. Mendoza, Jr. : Photography Fundamentals
Lemuel B. Cabia : 3D Computer-aided Solid Modelling
Francis Mark D. Santos : 3D Computer-aided Solid Modelling
Albert D. Gavino : Photography Fundamentals
Precious L. Taliwaga : Design Elements and Principles

The Team is currently looking for more programs that will further sharpen our skills and enhance our techniques in Web development.

November 10, 2004

My.LaSalle Search Improved
For ages, students and faculty has been searching for the My.LaSalle link in the home page. This has been the top search keyword for a very long time. And we tried everything,, text links, logos and banners, but still, students keep using the search box to find My.LaSalle.
So we had this idea... “Can we modify the search facility so searchers using keywords such as ‘MLS,’ ‘mylasalle,’ or ‘MyLasalle’ be AUTOMATICALLY FORWARDED to the MLS Web site instead of ATOMZ doing the serach?”
Today, this is exactly what happens when one enters “mylasalle” in the Search box of the Manila Web site. Javascript parses the searched word and “redirects” the user to the My.LaSalle login page. To parse means to analyze an input or data into more easily processed components.
Instead of calling the Atomz facility to “search through” all of the pages within the www.dlsu.edu.ph to produce search results, which contains the searched word or phrase, a dialog box with the text “You will be redirected to the ‘My.LaSalle web site’” is displayed.
Today, the search result for keywords leading to mylasalle is ZERO! This happens because the keywords never get to ATOMZ (javascript parses it) and thus has zero search entries. This idea is so successful we would like to duplicate the concept in the intranet.

DLSU Wise
The Documentation Office has recently launched the newly redesigned Wireless Information Services (Wise) Web site http://wise.dlsu.edu.ph.
In addition to the short messaging system (SMS) service, this edition has information about the latest addition to DLSU’s wireless services, the DLSU Newsletter Mobile Edition viewable in a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) and the wireless fidelity (WiFi) technology utilization within campus.
Viewing the Aswtats search statistics report, you would be surprised to find out that these newest technologies are the top searches since last month.

Philippine Web Awards
Around this time last year, the Web Team was feverishly campaigning for SMS and e-mail votes as the DLSU-Manila Web site was included as finalist in the prestigious Philippine Web Awards (PWA).
As this is an annual event, why the lull this year? The main reason the DLSU-Manila Web site was not submitted in this year’s PWA is because it has not yet been redesigned and PWA have started to ask for a (hefty) joining fee of $45.
However, despite the fact that the web site is not included in the roster of participants, the event organizer Media G8way Corp. (MGC), still sought our opinion through interviewing Reynaldo R. Mendoza, ITC-Docu’s Acting Department Head.
Here is the full text as it appeared in the Philippine Web Awards Web site:
“(I believe the PWA) provides service to the digital Pinoy by honouring (both the men and the women who) strive to present their best works and inspire more Filipinos to be world class,” noted Reynaldo R. Mendoza, Jr., senior Web designer/acting department head, documentation office of De La Salle University-Manila. DLSU won last year’s People’s Choice award for Schools.
Saying that the PWA changes reflect the event’s improvement through time, he specified three basic types of Web sites: information, entertainment, and e-commerce. Expanding these categories is already a challenge, he pointed out.
Mendoza believe the PWA is making changes in the category listing to “accommodate what (the organizers) may have left out.”

July 25, 2004

Search Engine Optimization
Meta tags are words of phrases that help search engines classify and rank a Web page. They instruct Web browsers to perform specific tasks and identify keywords and site definitions, among others. The DLSU-Manila Web site has almost 3,000 pages. Though information is organized well, some people find it easier to use its Search function extensively. For this reason, the DOCU Office reviewed the major folders and selected the appropriate keywords. The DOCU Office also took into account statistics reported by Atomz and Awstats.
To date, “mylasalle” which used to be the most frequently searched word, is the first item that will be included in the report when it is searched. This is just one keyword among many. The process of updating the meta tags is being done weekly.

CHED-ZRC Web Site
As DLSU-M aims to be the top research university in the Asia-Pacific region, ITC is proud to be part of the move to work towards this vision. Recently, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) chose DLSU-M as one of its Zonal Research Centers (ZRC) (http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/research/centers/ched_zrc.default.asp). As a result, the CHED-ZRC Web site can now be found in the DLSU-M Web site. The Web site contains the National Higher Education Research Agenda, priority research areas, overview of the different grants it offers, downloadable portable document format (PDF) forms and the CHED research framework.

President’s Report
The on-line edition of the DLS System’s President Report for the School Year 2002-2003 is now accessible. In addition to he regular features, it now includes information about the newest campus in the System, the DLS-Araneta University. It remained true to the printed edition. Insert photos in the magazine were presented as still photos. The pages used the colors white and grayish brown, the same colors used by the printed edition.

Transfer of CCS and ITC to DLSU-Manila Web Site
With the transfer of the College of Computer Studies (CCS) to the DLSU-Manila from the Professional Schools, Inc. (PSI), so has its Web site. The organization of the files was retained so as not to spoil the navigation behaviour of the site surfers. Next up for transfer is the ITC Web site, as we also transferred to the main campus.

March 12, 2004

MLS Portal Update
The My.LaSalle (MLS) portal continues to take better shape. The most recent additions to the portal are the comprehensive accessories which now includes the DLSU Library Web On-line Public Access Catalog (OPAC), www.google.com.ph, www.yehey.com.ph, www.dictionary.com, www.inq7.net, www.cnn.com links, links to government electronic services, Quality Articles posted under lifelong learning, calculator and periodic table of the elements, at default.

Helpdesk Web Site
The launch of the reorganized and redesigned Help Desk web site is something to look forward to. Together with other recently-launched web sites, the Help Desk uses CSS layouts. CSS web design uses no tables for design and thus, makes load time faster and has the ability to change designs on the fly just by changing the CSS of the web site. These technologies make the design and enhancement of the web site easier. As a result, there are three (3) designs and color schemes to choose form. The major links are now Services, Tips and Tools, Downloads, Facilities, FAQs, DLSU Sites and About.

PSI Web Site
In line with the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU) re-assessment of the College of Computer Studies (CCS), the redesigned ITC-PSI web site has been launched last November. The web developers utilized WYSIWYG templates that allow easier content development and maintenance.

Planning Sessions
The DOCU Office recently concluded the planning workshop for the school year 2004-2005. After three (3) sessions, new threats and opportunities posed by conditions outside of ITC and DLSU have been identified in the TOWS analysis. A more detailed and comprehensive proactive action plan has been finalized. Upon the implementation of the action plan, delivery of information over the Internet is foreseen to be more accurate, up-to-date and accessible.

Faculty Web Site
Full professors who are employed by the University full-time can now avail of Web development services. At the very least, full professors have a doctoral degree to their credit except in fields where doctoral programs are not available locally. The guidelines have already been set by the DOCU Office as approved by ITC Director Samuel Mallare. The Web page for the guidelines is currently being developed. To make the academic community aware of this service, an article will be published in the DLSU Newsletter.

CeMTRE Web Site
Supporting DLSU’s mission to be the leading research university in the Southeast Asian region, La Salle tied up with the Philippine government’s Department of Energy (DOE) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The web site for Center for Micro-Hydro Technology for Rural Electrification, CeMTRE, was established to upgrade the existing hydraulic laboratory test facilities for micr-hydro technologies at the College of Engineering.

Published Articles
To inform the users of the newest services offered by the Information Technology Center (ITC), the DOCU Office submitted articles which have been published in the printed edition of the DLSU Newsletter. These articles informed the public of the importance of the web in information dissemination, the accessibility of the software PDF995 and Statistica. On-line information about these topics can be found in the different web sites where they belong.

God's Miracle: Healing Me from Dopa-responsive Dystonia

I was born epileptic but I was declared cured when I was around 13 years old.

As you know, towards the end of 2005, I had dopa-responsive dystonia (DRD) which affected the way I walked. This condition is midway between dystonia and Parkinson's disease. Just to refresh your memory, it is a condition where the basal ganglia (the part of the brain which regulates body movements) was losing control of my forward walk (dystonia), and the level of dopamine (the substance which lubricates the brain and regulates body movements as well) in my brain was depleting/being blocked (Parkinson's disease) at the same time. In my case, my left foot turned everytime i walked.

I consulted with 3 neurologists the last one of which was the only one who diagnosed my condition correctly. They found through MRI that I have pineal region cyst. The pineal region is between the left and right hemispheres of the brain. They told me it could have been there in the last 15 years. They also told me that it will not be removed since it seemed to have no effect at all on me and that brain surgery is the last option always.

The third doctor is a US-based Filipino neurologist who I found through google search. I e-mailed him and he replied. I consulted with him when he came to Manila. I rarely followed any of the 3 doctors' instructions in taking my medicine. This is because one doctor instructed me to slowly increase my medicine intake until the time I was satisfied with the way I walked. So when they told me to take 1 and 1/2 tablets a day, I just took 1 tablet a day.

I also attended 2 masses officiated by Fr. Fernando Suarez (www.fatherfernando.com), a miraculous Canada-based Filipino priest who goes around the world to officiate healing masses.

In between the time I was well and got sick, I joined the La Salle-based Singles for Christ.

There was a time when my condition got worse. The turning of my foot became more pronounced even though I took my medicine regularly as instructed by my doctor. I asked him once my condition was getting worse, was it leaning more toward Parkinson's or dystonia? He told me that my sickness was definitely dystonia and should it get worse, I may manifest signs of Parkinsonism. I remember, there were times I observed the way people walked on the streets each time I was commuting just to remind myself how to walk normally.

This condition forced me to push myself harder to do more things all at once. I continued with my master's classes because I didn't want to suffer from one of the possible side effects of DRD which is alzheimer's disease. This year, I also secured a gym membership to tone my muscles.

In February this year, my Lola gave me a box of medicines good for 30 days. I took it with my medicine and noticed that my walk was consistently good and effortless. When I finished the box, I thought of buying the medicines but decided to wait for the time my walk would again get worse then buy the medicines. It continued to be consistently good and effortless I actually thought of reducing my medicine but just continued taking the medicine at the dosage recommended by my doctor.

I had my checkup with my US-based doctor when he came to Manila last month. He again told me to walk back and forth from the door many times. When I was fed up with what I was doing because I felt it lasted forever, I told him "Doc, wag ka na maghanap ng wala." Which he answered with "Let me be the judge of that." Then he told me to sit down and happily told me that this was the only time he saw me walked well for long. He also told me to reduce my medicine intake.

Then I joined the Akyat Brother Andrew. I thought, I would stop at any point during the competition once I have a hard time running. I finished 523 steps, 21 storeys effortlessly in 9 mins and 43 secs.

Then I attended the Metro Manila Singles for Christ (SFC) Conference in Bataan. I packed my things in a hurry because I went home late the night before and thought I forgot to take my medicine. I have decided to brave the weekend without taking the medicine because I know our schedule was unbelievably jampacked.

The first night, my foot acted up. It hasn't occured for quite some time but that night, hindi na naman mapakali yung paa ko. It was typical when I skipped taking my medicine. The following morning, I expected my foot to turn in all directions while I walked kasi syempre I hardly slept the night before. Miraculously, I was able to walk quietly the whole day which lasted late into the night. Take note, it was a very busy day of hearing talks in between running all around.

Then, the following day, I found my medicine. I stared at it for a while then decided to skip it and see until when I would function well without it. It was a busy 3-day conference and I was able to survive it without my medicine and supplements. I couldn't stop crying the moment I realized what happened.

I have decided to stop taking the medicine altogether. I claim that the good Lord has healed me completely.

I shared it in the SFC chapter assembly and a brother told me that I seem to have forgotten that on the 2nd night of the conference, a sister stood up on the stage and declared that a sister was healed of brain tumor that night. He told me that I was the sister that was healed of brain tumor, that my pineal region cyst is gone.

It has been more than 3 weeks since I last took my medicine. Until now, my walk is still consistently good and effortless. The good Lord is truly a loving father God who gives what is best to us His children.

May you be inspired by this story.

God bless us all.

Reposting My Technical Writer Resume

One of my classmates once told me that she would like to post her articles written in one of our masters classes because she exerted her best in all her writings. I asked her what kept her from doing it. Then she asked me if it was ok to do it. I asked her, what's holding her back. After that conversation, she posted her articles one at a time daily.

That being said, I posted my resume a few weeks ago because I felt proud of it after off-shore companies replied to my applications. The following day, I took it out because I felt so egotistical then.

One time, my friend commented that she was impressed with my resume. I told her what I did. She told me it was ok because we'll never know who will view it and eventually uproot me from the Philippines. So, here is the re-appearance of my resume

My Cover Letter

I would like to apply to the Web Technical Writer job vacancy posted in your Web site. I am qualified for the job becuase I have the relevant work experience and I strive for continuous self-improvement.

In my present job, I prepare marketing collaterals such as print ads, flyers, posters and tarpaulins which includes writing text messages and designing graphics. I layout newsletters. I also interview key officials in the preparation of creative briefs for documentation purposes.

Prior to this, I documented, researched, prepared layout and edited articles for various Web sites and publications at a top university in Metro Manila. In the duration of my stay, I never missed a scheduled promotion. I was also a consistent Perfect Attendance Awardee. In my last school year of service, I was a member of the office Excellence Award Committee. In the school years 2004-2006, I was elected secretary of the DLSU IT Personnel Assembly.

I was also a copy editor/graphics artist for a major textbook publishing house before joining the university. The job included processing Math, Science and Computer textbooks and teachers’ manuals for pre-school, grade school and high school levels.

In all the companies I worked for, I adhered to, and at times, formulated documentation standards and policies. In my work experience, I developed flexibility, having initiative, being a team-player, detail-oriented and self-motivated.

More power and hope to get in touch with you soon.

My Resume

Career Summary

Enrollment in graduate studies courses sharpened my technical skills in research and documentation. It trained me to look past media messages for a perceptive outlook on the real events happening within Philippine society. The analysis principles and application techniques can be adapted in other countries as well. Graduate studies combined with Web and textbook publishing professional experience allow me to interact with programmers, graphic designers and users for a good grasp of documentation requirements.

OBJECTIVE
To further hone technical skills in research and writing for in-depth documentation

WORK EXPERIENCE

February 2007-Present
Staff Writer, Public Affairs Office
Government Service Insurance System

• Prepares marketing collaterals such as print ads, flyers, posters, tarpaulins which includes writing text messages and graphics design
• Prepares press releases and newsletters including text messages and layouts
• Prepares Web pages

February-May, 2007
Attends press conferences
Attends to the overall organization of events especially preparation and operation of powerpoint shows using projector.

February-May, 2007
Various GSIS Program
Coordinated with Project Manager, prepared the marketing collaterals and the Web pages

May, 2007
GSIS Creative Brief
Interviewed key officials to gather relevant information as preparation for broadcast and print ads.

December 2002-January 2007
Sr. Web Content Developer Documentation Office
Information Technology Center – De La Salle University, Manila

Functions
• Wrote and edited articles for the various De La Salle University Web sites
• Performed Webmaster functions in the DLSU Pinas Web site
(http://pinas.dlsu.edu.ph)
• Created faculty Web sites
• Reviewed Web sites prior to launching
• Consolidated data, drew statistics from data culled from Web surveys, determined and implemented meta tags for easier Web searchability
• Wrote articles for publication in the University newsletter and office corkboard
• Created and designed secure online “fillable” portable document format (pdf) forms
• Prepared, maintained, finalized and filed office documents
• Maintained current and historical documentation of ITC policies and procedures
• Responded to user queries
• Prepared job advertisements
• Modified graphics as needed
• Maintained good public relations with users and other members of the academic community
• Submitted to the Center’s management periodic reports on process improvement, professional development, and assigned tasks
• Ensured that performance targets are met
• Ensured that all problems and solutions are escalated appropriately

Dec 2002-Jan 2007
DLSU Webmaster e-group member
Participated in the planning and implementation of the redesigned DLSU-Manila Web site. Implemented enhancements in the Web site such as creating Web pages and improving layout designs as needed. Constantly reviewed, implemented and improved meta tags for easier Web searchability.

Maintained office documentation. Determined proper categorization of Web pages and office documents.

Dec 2002-Jan 2007
DLSU Pinas Web site webmaster
Reviewed submitted Web sites for inclusion in the Web site. Formulated overviews about selected Web sites. Created Web pages, sections and graphics as needed.

Jan 2004-Jan 2007
Newsletter Writer and Corkboard Editor
Wrote articles for the university newsletter (now known as 2401). Wrote and edited the ITCorkboard, the office newsletter which published three times a year. This included technical, feature and news writing.

Reason for leaving: To practice technical writing in a government corporation


February 1999-November 2002
Editorial Assistant/Graphic Artist
Vibal Publishing House, Inc.

In the duration of my stay at the company, I was a Mac user.

Graphic Artist
• Prepared camera-ready copies for publication using a variety of techniques including Adobe PDF pre-press
• Modified illustrations as necessary

Jan 2001-Nov 2002
Math and Computer Books Graphic Artist
Layout and graphic artist responsible for the overall look and feel of all book pages.

Editorial Assistant
• Processed math and computer pre-school, elementary and secondary textbooks and teacher’s manuals primarily, and Student Digest, and Science and Technology (S&T) Digest
• Prepared signature plan

Feb 1999-Dec 2001
Math Book Editorial Assistant
Processed pre-school, elementary and secondary math books which included encoding, proofreading and editing. Responsible for the overall content of the book.

Reason for leaving: Practiced IT writing in a university setup

Aug.-Oct. 1998
Reporter Trainee stationed at the Research Department
BusinessWorld Publishing Corporation

• Formulated economic indicators regarding the agriculture and construction sectors
• Composed feature articles and corporate updates

Aug-Oct 1998
Reporter Trainee
Researched and wrote economic indicators, feature articles and corporate updates which includes interviewing key persons in corporations and industries.

Reason for leaving: Practiced editing educational books

May-Aug 1998
Secretary to the Home Development Mutual Fund Makati Branch Manager
Development Bank of the Philippines Service Corporation

• Coordinated with office units
• Categorized office documents for proper filing
• Prepared office correspondences

Reason for leaving: Practiced business writing

EDUCATION

May 2006-present
DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY
Earned 15 units in Master of Arts in Communication major in Applied Media Studies.

1994 – 1998
CENTRO ESCOLAR UNIVERSITY
Graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication major in Journalism,
May 1998.

COMPUTER AND TECHNOLOGY SKILLS
Microsoft Office (Intermediate)
Adobe Acrobat 7.0 Professional (Intermediate)
Adobe Pagemaker 7.0 (Expert)
Macromedia Dreamweaver MX 2004 (Intermediate)
Adobe Illustrator CS2 (Intermediate)
Adobe Photoshop CS2 (Intermediate)
Adobe Indesign CS2 (Beginner)

TRAININGS ATTENDED

• User Interface Design and Web Usability
DLSU ITC-Systems Management Office and Industrial Engineering Department
November 10, 13, 15, 2006

• Making Corporate Presentation Materials:
Tools, Tips and Techniques for Multimedia Presentation and Web Publishing
Fiera de Manila
April 22, 2006

• Advanced Indesign CS2 Training
Philippine Center for Creative Imaging
February 10-12, 2005

• The Customer is Always... The Customer
DLSU-ITC
September 1, 2005

• Advanced Illustrator CS Training
DLSU-ITC
May 26-27, 2005

• Advanced Excel Training
DLSU-ITC
April 27, 2005

• Learning Photoshop CS Beyond the Basics
Fiera de Manila, Inc
April 13, 2005

• Advanced Retouching Techniques with Photoshop CS
Fiera de Manila, Inc.
April 13, 2005

• Microsoft Office Powertips: Extending the Limits of Knowledge
Microsoft Philippines
October 25, 2004

• Advertising Design
DLS-College of St. Benilde sit-in student
2nd term SY 2004-2005

• CSS Tips and Tricks in Macromedia Dreamweaver MX
Philippine Trade Training Center
June 18, 2004

• Macromedia Flash MX 2004 for Corporate Presentation
Philippine Trade Training Center
June 18, 2004

• Modern Project Management
Professional Systems Synergy, Inc.
February 18-19, 2004

• 5S (Good Housekeeping Practices) Orientation Seminar
DLSU-ITC
October 28, 2003

• Fast Track to Dreamweaver MX
Philippine Center for Creative Imaging
September 15-17, 2003

• Effective Application of Media and Technology in the Classroom
DLSU Center for Educational Multimedia
June 23, 2003

• Streaming Video Echo Seminar
DLSU-ITC
January, 2003

• Workshop on Reporting Poverty Statistics and Related Issues
National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) and Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines (EJAP)
October 10, 1998

CAREER SERVICE PROFESSIONAL EXAM ELIGIBLE

85.68% (rating)


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

At present, I am a member of the Philippine Computer Society.

In the duration of my stay at the DLSU IT Center, I never missed a scheduled promotion. I was also a consistent Perfect Attendance Awardee. In my last school year of service, I was a member of the Excellence Award Committee. In the school years 2004-2006, I was elected secretary of the DLSU IT Professionals Assembly.

In my work experience, I developed flexibility, having initiative, being a team-player, detail-oriented and self-motivated.

Staying the Course Right Over a Cliff

This article saw print on the New York Times in October 27, 2006
(Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/27/opinion/27lakoff.html?ex=1319601600&en=56eadf4a9b57eeab&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss)

THE Bush administration has finally been caught in its own language trap.

“That is not a stay-the-course policy,” Tony Snow, the White House press secretary, declared on Monday.

The first rule of using negatives is that negating a frame activates the frame. If you tell someone not to think of an elephant, he’ll think of an elephant. When Richard Nixon said, “I am not a crook” during Watergate, the nation thought of him as a crook.

“Listen, we’ve never been stay the course, George,” President Bush told George Stephanopoulos of ABC News a day earlier. Saying that just reminds us of all the times he said “stay the course.”

What the president is discovering is that it’s not so easy to rewrite linguistic history. The laws of language are hard to defy.

“The characterization of, you know, ‘it’s stay the course’ is about a quarter right,” the president said at an Oct. 11 news conference. “ ‘Stay the course’ means keep doing what you’re doing. My attitude is, don’t do what you’re doing if it’s not working — change. ‘Stay the course’ also means don’t leave before the job is done.”

A week or so later, he tried another shift: “We have been — we will complete the mission, we will do our job and help achieve the goal, but we’re constantly adjusting the tactics. Constantly.”

To fully understand why the president’s change in linguistic strategy won’t work, it’s helpful to consider why “stay the course” possesses such power. The answer lies in metaphorical thought.

Metaphors are more than language; they can govern thought and behavior. A recent University of Toronto study, for example, demonstrated the power of metaphors that connect morality and purity: People who washed their hands after contemplating an unethical act were less troubled by their thoughts than those who didn’t, the researchers found.

“Stay the course” is a particularly powerful metaphor because it can activate so many of our emotions. Because physical actions require movement, we commonly understand action as motion. Because achieving goals so often requires going to a particular place — to the refrigerator to get a cold beer, say — we think of goals as reaching destinations.

Another widespread — and powerful — metaphor is that moral action involves staying on a prescribed path, and straying from the path is immoral. In modern conservative discourse, “character” is seen through the metaphor of moral strength, being unbending in the face of immoral forces. “Backbone,” we call it.

In the context of a metaphorical war against evil, “stay the course” evoked all these emotion-laden metaphors. The phrase enabled the president to act the way he’d been acting — and to demonstrate that it was his strong character that enabled him to stay on the moral path.

To not stay the course evokes the same metaphors, but says you are not steadfast, not morally strong. In addition, it means not getting to your destination — that is, not achieving your original purpose. In other words, you are lacking in character and strength; you are unable to “complete the mission” and “achieve the goal.”

“Stay the course” was for years a trap for those who disagreed with the president’s policies in Iraq. To disagree was weak and immoral. It meant abandoning the fight against evil. But now the president himself is caught in that trap. To keep staying the course, given obvious reality, is to get deeper into disaster in Iraq, while not staying the course is to abandon one’s moral authority as a conservative. Either way, the president loses.

And if the president loses, does that mean the Democrats will win? Perhaps. But if they do, it will be because of Republican missteps and not because they’ve acted with strategic brilliance. Their “new direction” slogan offers no values and no positive vision. It is taken from a standard poll question, “Do you like the direction the nation is headed in?”

This is a shame. The Democrats are giving up a golden opportunity to accurately frame their values and deepest principles (even on national security), to forge a public identity that fits those values — and perhaps to win more close races by being positive and having a vision worth voting for.

Right now, though, no language articulating a Democratic vision seems in the offing. If the Democrats don’t find a more assertive strategy, their gains will be short-lived. They, too, will learn the pitfalls of staying the course.

George Lakoff, a professor of linguistics at the University of California, Berkeley, and a senior fellow at the Rockridge Institute, is the author of “Thinking Points: Communicating Our American Values and Vision.”