La Salle and Robin Hood

Did you see the green archer at the center of La Salle Taft? I asked my friend where they got the idea of the green archer icon and he said that it's a secret. Apparently, the green archer was Robin Hood.

La Salle always stood up for the poor. It's a pity that most students in La Salle are well-to-do. They are people coming from the upper class. Who are able to send their children through hundreds of thousand per year?

Last time I asked how is it that La Salle always talks about vision and mission, ultimately forgetting what it should stand for in the first place? My green-colored friend would excuse La Salle, reminding me of the various scholars La Salle has, and the numerous schools it maintains for the poor people.

Hence, while catering for the rich class, it eventually diverts its cash to the less priviledged... much like... uh-oh. I did not say that.

Atty. Jocelyn Cruz

I never appreciate it enough but I am quite blessed as a person. I mean, look at the things that are happening to me right now. I started in the bank from the bottom and managed to become an officer - an accountant in seven years. In our place it's that hard to be an officer unlike BPI or UCPB. Plus the fact that I did not finish accounting.

When I decided to change careers and became an educator, I was also successful. I mean, the students love me and I became a principal in three years.

My school right now is not that good, but come to think of it, it made me realize things that I ought not to do.

Then, I came to DLSU. And it somehow made me more confident to be the person that I am. It's something that makes me feel competent and feel effective not only as a leader in education but as a person. The traces of inferiority from my high school days have completely gone now.

One of the things I am thankful for in La Salle are my professors. They are top of the line. I mean, I have not seen any one who's not competent in his/her field. They are gods of education, I tell you.

There was Dr. Habulan, Dr. Bago, Dr. Bumatay, Dr. Muñoz of course (the angel of education), Dr. Evangelista, our priest-like Dr. (Kuya) Voc. And then, this morning....there was Dr. Cruz. My God. She is Super!!! I mean, she literally kept us awe-struck for the whole three hours. The last time that happened to me was when I was in professional education with Dr. Magno. He made me pursue educational management.

What I learned with Dr. Cruz was that we have to love the law in order to be secure in our dealings. We have to be safe rather than be sorry in the end. Knowledge of the law makes us better equip in whatever position we have. And that makes me feel proud of my education in La Salle. I mean, in America I noticed that most teachers are afraid because of legal concerns. That's because they are not knowledgeable with the law. Here in the Philippines, it's the same. What is worse is that even administrators don't know that they are liable for things they don't even know. Hence, it's more of a preventive measure like in health. In health, we say that an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. In law, it's the same. It's better to be safe than sorry in court...or worse, in jail.

I know that after this, I probably would end up reading more things but it's ok. An ounce of law can keep the lawsuits away.

Cheers to Dr. Cruz! You mentioned about the speaker in Hawaii who taught you one on one for two hours. That message and flame was shared to your audience today. Most of us will tread different paths but we will hold your image as a reminder of where we should be - the best place we could.

Hey, it's only our first meeting. Imagine that.

There's insanity in Sta. Rosa City

This morning, I had (well, we - by this, meaning thousands of souls) to walk from the middle of Balibago Road - around the Nissin Area - all the way to the Balibago Hi-way. Had to sweat it out while I was wearing the long sleeved-kusot mayaman - my stupid uniform going to work (hehe). Had to await for the jeeps to somehow make a U-turn - somehow be not insane like the jerko who is plainly egotistical, idiotical, and made a mockery of the traffic situation and castigate the people of Sta. Rosa City, Laguna at the rush hour of the morning. Yes, this town city has an administration who concentrates on making papogi with stupid parades of more stupid wackos like the Pinoy Big Brother fools, during the rush hours of the morning. He did not look into the little fact that most of his constituents are working someplace - yes, the very same people who are made Sta. Rosa, a city. Instead, he focused on the galore of activities, expo, and big brother stupidity.

I thought you had class. When I met you in Dominican, I thought that "Hey, this is different". You are also from San Lorenzo, right? Why don't you use your head and maybe - just maybe, it will tell you to just schedule that affair a little bit later than 6AM? Jesus Almighty, you practically made the whole citizenry - even those who are not participating in your activities - literally suffer. Is that the sacrifice you are exacting from us already? Oh, I pity those who could not ride the transportation to their work - especially if that work meant someplace else - as is true for more than 90% of your constituent. God, I bet you don't even realize that. That San Lorenzo during the day is practically a ghost town, for crying out loud. They are all in Manila and Alabang and Makati. And I bet those 90% - most of them - were late today.

Why?

Because our stupid leader did not think of us one bit.

Yes, I am talking about you, Mayor Catindig.

Ten (and more) guitar licks that I like

Here are ten of the best guitar licks I like...

1. Sultans of Swing - Mark Knopfler
2. Hotel California (Hell Freezes Over) - Joe Walsh and Dan Felder
3. Crossroads - Eric Clapton
4. Red House - Jimi Hendrix
5. Cliffs of Dover - Eric Johnson
6. I Can't Tell You Why - Dan Felder for Eagles
7. Old Love - Eric Clapton
8. Layla - Eric Clapton and Duanne Allman
9. Blackbird - Beatles
10. Woodstock Improvisation - Jimi Hendrix
11. Surfing With An Alien - Joe Satriani

There you go again UP! Why I don't think UP still has it

I never liked UP. Didn't take the UPCAT. I trained successful examinees for their stupid test but nevertheless campaigned that they will not pursue UP. Why? Because I never liked UP. Sorry to my professors and classmates in DLSU who came from UP, for Candice, Charmaine and also for Moe. But it's really sickening. Even the joke about 7-up being 7 sisters studying in UP, sickened me as a child. God, I hated it so much.

This morning, a friend who is about ten thousand times faster than me - despite my Wifi, inq7 (which I wasn't able to open anyway) and YahooNews - in knowing about the latest news, told me that there was another intelligent scholar in UP, who was slain due to hazing. Another intelligent scholar in UP slain due to hazing. Look at that statement another time. Every word there has a deeper meaning - makes you want to cower in fear for the grim future we have.

First, "another". This means the case is just "another" case. Another "another". During the 90s reports have been fewer but starting from the Scintilla Juris case of 1992, cases concerning hazing - even murder cases - now abound.

"Intelligent" - because of high school grades perhaps, or performance in school. But intelligent, proficient in academics. Intelligent? Perhaps not - if you will consider the fact that dying is a stupid thing if it meant degrading the very thing you stand for - sensibility. Perhaps not, if you consider the fact that intelligence ought to make you live a little longer and share the same (intelligence) to your parents who brought you into this world and nurtured you to be the person that you are - were. Perhaps not, if you look at the insanity of this barbaric act that took its starting point from ancient times - when the world is not yet civilized.

But, hey. This student could be anybody. It could be your own student back in high school, a little confused and pressured chap who is suddenly overwhelmed by the pressures of insane and monstrous individuals who call themselves his "brothers". Brothers my ass. A brother won't do that to his friend, let alone his very own brother.

Problem is, the youth of today is a confused youth, a sick, bored and tired youth just longing for attention, belongingness and a little place of security and safety. And sometimes, frats are the only way to escape...and get more caught. This student could be anyone, it could be your own son or daughter. Of course, Marlon was already 21. The more I wonder.

And then this next word - "scholar". Well, ho-hum. Every student in UP is supposed to be a scholar. They are not paying the same tuition fee levels as students in other universities. It's a state U for crying out loud. And it sickens me and every thinking person in this part of the planet that "scholars" who are supposed to be better than all the rest of us should behave this way. And get killed over meaningless and unworthy exercise.

I remember a story about state universities when we were college. Hendrick del Castillo studied in PUP, another state U in Sta. Mesa, Manila. This was during the days of Prudente. He told me that during CMT (or ROTC), the Commandant - an Army colonel - would shout at the cadets - "Don't be sloppy, PUP cadets! 75% of your tuition fee is being subsidized by the government". And it's true, I mean. That guy was a genius. PUP, UP students - all of them - should behave better than the rest of us. We are subsidizing their education. And I believe that hazing is not part of this education.

Which brings us to the next phrase "in UP". There it goes. What is it like to be in UP? Why all these nonsense? Why all these deaths associated with hazing? I must admit that Ateneo suffered of the same predicament during the Aguila case of 1991. And also this: According to the study made by NFO (http://www.eccceonline.org/commission/report/appendix-a.htm), 51% of the youth don't see the reason why hazing is wrong. Are they reading? The same survey said that most of them don't read. Ask me again why they don't know hazing is wrong. They're ignorant. Most of them are imbecile due to lack of reading. Read this kids: HAZING IS WRONG BECAUSE IT CAN KILL YOU, YOU MASOCHISTIC MORONS.

It kills me. That these things are happening in our top-rated schools and universities. Because if this is what our students and "scholars" are doing, and the same are our future and hope of the nation, I wonder what kind of future we have.

The worst of it is that I am planning to take my doctoral in Statistics there in UP. Well, that's the only choice here in the Philippines. Unless I somehow manage to hypnotize Dr. Joz and the rest of the Math Dept. in DLSU to offer it.

Which really kills me like hell.

In UP? What is the VMGO of UP? What do they stand for? These questions I don't have a ready answer. It seems the website of UP does not carry it conspicuosly as compared to La Salle, Ateneo or UST.

"died"....

If it was something else...If it was not this... then, we would've let it go. Even if it was rebellion, teen-age pregnancy, sedition and athiesm, we would've let it go. But it concerns death - the death of an individual, of an intelligent scholar - of a future of our nation. Now, that is unforgivable.

"due to hazing"

What is fraternity? What does it stand for? Does it not stand for brotherhood? Is it not a word on every French during the Revolution? Now, what is hazing? Why do they do it? What do brotherhood and killing have in common? If this happens in war, and death means a sacrifice, then we would've understood. But killing, murder...that we cannot forgive.

Now, what does our law tell us? Isn't it already a heinous crime through the RA 8049 of 1995? How many cases have plagued us in the past ....in UP, UST, Ateneo, La Salle, PMI, Letran?

What should we do about it? Anti-Hazing Act? What about prohibiting fraternities altogether even in colleges? DECS Order No. 20 s. 1991 forbids fraternities and sororities especially in the basic education. How come there are cases upon cases of these? If these studebts cannot stand up to it, then leave the halls of the academe. Leave our schools alone.

I never liked UP. When my mother asked me if I was taking the UPCAT, I said "I don't like UP. Sige, you might not see me again. UP students go to the mountains and become NPAs". Actually, the first reason then was I never felt worthy enough for UP. It's viewed as a shining pedestal for intellectuals. I always regarded it as something so UP, so up there . Until reality woke me up.

It's a long way still but I don't think Andrea will choose UP over any well-meaning school or college.

...even if I have to do double or triple jobs in Canada or the States, just to take her to a mission-directed and Christ-centered university, I will do it.

...even if I have to break my back, just so she will avoid the nonsensical youths now proliferating in UP.

...even if...I have to fetch her everyday.

Hey, they also came from UP, right? See, I hate UP.

(see related article here. Don't forget to click BACK, ok?)

Live, Love, Be Happy... Then Die

Death is something mysteriously fearful and uncertain. i always thought i am excused in experiencing this. When my lola died, she was almost 90 so we kinda expected it. I mean, two of three months before that, I was asking the Lord to take her already since she was always walking and walking around San Juan just visiting old friends (Old friends who were not there anymore - anyway, she gets to speak with their children who are retired or almost retired so they are at home) and looking for laing leaves. I whispered a sincere prayer that day, as I was looking at her old and gray and a little bent, slightly stumbling from side to side. In a mystical and almost saintly voice, that was way back - "What is she still doing here, Lord? If there is something more she needs to pay , like an unrepented sin that keeps her from being with you (Purgatory thing - for us Catholics, don't worry not everybody is perfect), let me just be the one to pay for it. Balato mo na lang sa akin, Lord. (Just give me the punishment...)"

In less than three months (I think about 1 1/2 months) after that, she succumbed to death. She just became weak and very sleepy and all. Her last breath, my Tita Edeng told me (this person died some years after), was just like a deep breath - as if she was sleeping. And then, she gave her spirit. Just a week before that, she was exclaiming to all those around me, after being able to recognize me - she was already weak at that time: "This is my favorite grandson, whom I love very very much" - she was hugging me and all. Until now, twelve years hence, I am still teary-eyed every time I recount those things.

When we went there, we were complete. Mother was there. Jomari was trying to carry Wawa (that's how we call her) and he was saying to me, "She's heavy, George", meaning that she is close to death, something that Jomari and I were theorizing on, based on the stories we heard and read about dying people.

I can remember him urging wawa to get up, saying Wawa, timpla ka naman ng kape. Please make us some coffee. And Wawa would move a bit, as if she wants to make that one last coffee before she goes. That was the last time we saw her alive. For after we left that house, at around 1 in the morning, there were knocks on the gate. I knew. We knew, all of us. We rose to a single person. No one was sleeping pala. We knew she was dead. "And I thought she was immortal", was what I told them that night.

In two months, the punishment came, by the way. And it was hellish, if you know what I mean. I never went to the hospital or anything. Later, I realized that I should've. I could've died then. I also realized, reading way later about my symptoms back then, that what I had wasn't German Measles, as the diagnosis of our family doctor maintained. She never went to our house anyway and was diagnosing through the phone, with my mother. It was closer to Dengue Fever I realized later. My mouth was filled with sores of all sorts, due because of the extreme temperature (I was doing a consistent 39 and 40) for six days.

I just stayed at home, with my father who attended to me. He was my nurse back then. He was not that good though. He would sleep off while I needed water and all. I forgive him. He is a father for J-sake. Anyways, my mother usually comes home for lunch. She works at Aquinas pa then. And she walks lang to our house. She would go home, grab a few bite and check on me, give me medicine, and go back to office in time for 1 o-clock. I think she did this going home thing for years in Aquinas. Especially during days when we are sick and all.

I already typed the words "When my father died" but pressed the back space several times. I am not ready to recount that one just yet. Perhaps later this year. I just felt the need to write about this. This morning, the clock hanging on the wall fell down and broke into pieces just as I was leaving the house. I am not pessimistic or superstitious and all, today being the 13th of January, a Friday. It's just that everyday of our life, we are struggling to survive for one more day. It's a curse or something, that a new day brings to us a new beginning. But it also brings us a day closer to our death. Death comes to all. And I sure hope it comes to me in about 65 years pa, so that I will be a hundred years old, but I know it's not for me to dictate on the length of time. Anyway, it's not how long... that's how the song goes isn't it?

Death has always been something automatically acceptable only to the person dying. Well, I should like to think that way. Else, dying and living will be unbearable. Tears are only for those who are left behind, that was a favorite line from my mother. I do not know where she got it. Perhaps, from Emilie Loring, her favorite writer.

My motto now? The one I had for twenty two years now (I think I was in first year high when I formulated this) - Live, love, be happy, then die. I think it is infinitely better than the "Eat, drink, be merry for tomorrow we die". I was reading the history of the Greek and Roman civilizations that time, when I wrote to my notebook those words. Live, love, be happy, then die. Live well, love much, try hard to be happy on earth, then, be ready to leave everything. Everything - money, family, love, earthly joys, your guitar, the laptop and the ipod. Everything. Even the web.

My paper in Legal Issues in Education

This is the reflection paper I will submit tomorrow when IVLE opens for my reflection paper on the article by Angela Maynard Sewall: Teacher Liability. What We Don't Know Might Hurt Us. She is from the Department of Educational Leadership, University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Leader Liability: Going Beyond what is Legal

Now I understand why Dani reacted that way when I insisted on the principles of education. God, they must have freaked out. Who is this person lecturing us on how a pop quiz is not meant to punish students but rather to evaluate your own teaching? The better question now is,
who is teaching, anyway?

I used to - well, in the past days - post comments, and rebutt answers from Tribe.net especially that one from "Education", what a name huh? And this paper that we have just read made me realize why the American teachers - the average ones - are mostly just compliant. They do not bother about instructional excellence. They are there inside classrooms to survive. Dani's words are "with your butterfly ideals, you wouldn't survive ten minutes in my class", mentioning about her "Mexicans". So that's it. For the average instructor of God-fearing America, home of the brave, land of the free, a teacher ought to take care of himself first. S/he believes that the priority in every jungle, I mean classroom in America is survival. Here is another piece in the puzzle:

The Twentyfirst Century Teacher Applicant(shared by Dr. Magno, in our Foundations of Educations, 2004)

"Let me see if I've got this right. You want me to go into that room with all those kids and fill their every waking moment with a love for learning. Not only that, I'm supposed to instill a sense of pride in their ethnicity, behaviorally modify disruptive behavior, observe them for signs of abuse and T-shirt messages..." See full text here: http://www.smiles2send.com/f_21ta0903.asp

I don't know if I sounded to you like I am not agreeing with the author, with her bemedalled arms of PhDs and researches. She is telling the truth. But this truth is something that we have accepted in the back of our heads when we were just starting. What is legal anyway? In our country, there is a great difference between what is legal and what is normal. In fact, in one landmark case that I read - I was then preparing our manual of operations - G.R. No. 82325 September 26, 1989 ESPIRITU SANTO PAROCHIAL SCH. vs. NAT'L. LABOR RELATIONS COMMISSION, I was extremely petrified by the excuse of ESPS that "it is a common knowledge" in private schools, etc. that a probationary period for non-permanent teachers lapse on a schoolyear basis. What pertifies me is that it was also my belief. Until I read that case. I mean, the Supreme Court ruled here with finality that the Manual of Regulations for Private Schools from the Dep. Ed. has the "character of law" and to be followed, over manuals of operations of schools. But, I still have to see a copy of it on my desk. I emailed Dep-Ed to order a copy for my school, which should have been automatic in my opinion since we are accredited, and know what? They pointed me to FAPE. What? FAPE? Why FAPE?

As an educator for four years, I wasn't aware in all those years that there are such manuals that we need to follow. That we need to know and understand. Because, as Angela Sewall said, what we don't know will hurt us - a cross-double pun on "what you don't know won't hurt you" and "ignorance of the law excuses no one...etc."

So this is the sad plight of our schools. America, we care but a little. In our own backyard, our very home, we don't regard the law as something to be really serious about. We don't know our rights, and even if we know them, we are not willing to fight for them. I mean, we don't go telling smokers inside jeepneys not to smoke because we have the right to fresh air. We don't go out filing complaints against abusive government officials, or policemen. I don't go out in the middle of the night reading the article (155, Revised Penal Code) on Public Disorders: Alarms and Scandals, a criminal offense, to my noisy dumwit neighbors.

In America, we have another situation. In so much insisting on the law, they tend to let go of instruction. Go to discussion boards, web fora, blogspots, and what-have-you on educators and teachers. They regard their students as little devils and enemies. The classroom is viewed as a battlefield. On one hand, there is this insistence on educational principles. On the other, there is safety measures, legal complications. For fear of their very lives and careers, they tend to be self-preserving, guarding only on those things that might hurt them.

Now, according to Sewall, there are two basic duties of the teacher - first, the delivery of instruction; and second, as supervisors of the pupils/students. Hey, that's something. Teachers ought to teach first. But that is not the case anymore (a good pun on case). Teachers tend to be supervisors first before they are teachers. As early as 1969, Fuller already noted that novice teachers are concerned more on "safety procedures" and "survival" - items for classroom management, while experienced teachers are focused on instruction. Dani said she's been teaching for ten years now.

That is why, (Kober, 2002; Jones, et al.,2002) talk of teaching only for the examination, as a generally viewed bad thing in education. But that is the case, in general. There are stats to be maintained, and closure of schools due to the low exam scores is prevalent (see article in New York Times dtd. Jan.11, 2006 by Michael Winerip). What happens now on the "belief on the educability of all children" (Seyfarth, 1991) as a major component of Effective Schools (Edmonds, 1981 in McMackin,1991)? There's the rub.

Hence, as educational managers, we have to look beyond compliance. We have to look beyond lawsuits and requirements of district heads. We are here in education, because we chose to. Because we felt that a certain calling, a vocation leading us to a path of being ranked among the greatest people that have ever graced this planet, including (on the top of the list, of course) Jesus himself. We are in education to teach the young, to value their freedom through responsibility. We teach them not only to comply with the law but to love the law, to fight for the law because it separates us from the beasts (John L. O'Sullivan in Manifest Destiny).

As administrators, on the other hand, the move is not - for me - to educate the teachers on the things that might "hurt them", no offense for Ms. Sewall. This will only make them cower in utter fear for the accidents that might happen. And they do happen by the way. Pygmalion effect tells us that a negative expectation leads to a negative effect called Golem Effect. Rather, we must educate them on loving the law, and the proud heritage of our nation. If we love the
country enough, obedience and support of the law will be automatic for us, with or sans the lawsuits. (That is why, we need to register our XPs and McAfees).

To our educators, we have to inculcate to them the great vocation of education. It is not a job, for God's sake. It is a vocation. It is a calling. If we all love our vocation enough, we will look towards each child under our supervision with utmost care. Our directress in Dominican College Sta Rosa last year repeats that it is not anymore our role to act in loco parentis, but in toto parentis. We are in total parenthood to every child under us. It is our obligation not only to ourselves as teachers, but also to God who called us to be one. It's like, we must regard these kids as our own. If we do, then legal concerns will not so much frighten us. In a sense, we are behaving slightly better than what is expected of us by law. Having these in mind, we put forward the legal aspects to them so that they will have a bed of nails as a fallback. Something to guide them on the downside... what do you think? ...those creepy ones by the ways.

References:

Arellano Law Foundation. "PHILIPPINE JURISPRUDENCE - FULL TEXT - G.R. No. 82325 September 26, 1989 ESPIRITU SANTO PAROCHIAL SCH. vs. NAT'L. LABOR RELATIONS COM" The Lawphil Project.

Fuller, Frances F. (1969). "Concerns for Teachers" American Educational Research Journal, 6, 207-226

Jones, Chris; Freeman, Eileen & Tangney, Brendan. (2002). "By their deeds shall ye know them...teaching to the test: the impact of assessment on teaching and learning in secondary school ICT classrooms in England, Wales and Ireland". University of Sunderland: UK

Kober, Nancy. (2002). "Teaching to the Test: The Good, The Bad and Who's Responsible" Testalk for Leaders. Issue 1, June 2002 Center on Education Policy.

McMackin, Howard Michael. (1991). "The Influence of the Effective Schools Model on the Invention, Adoption, and Implementation of Innovations by a School Improvement Team: A process study" (dissertation). The University of Connecticut.

NBSI Editorial Staff. (2000). "The Revised Penal Code: Act. No. 3815, as Amended)" Mandaluyong: National Bookstore.

Rowe, W Glenn & O'Brien, James (2002). "The role of Golem, Pygmalion,
and Galatea effects on opportunistic behavior in the classroom" Journal of Management Education Thousand Oaks:Dec 2002. Vol. 26, Iss. 6.

Seyfarth, John T. (1991). “Personnel Management for Effective Schools”. Massachussetts: Allyn and Bacon.

Winerip, Michael. (2006). "Bitter Lesson: A Good School Gets an 'F'".New York Times, Jan 11, 2006.

Direction of Research in Educational Management

As expected, a Google search on “recent researches in educational management” returned almost 100 million entries. By recent, we mean anywhere between 2000 to the present. There are even topics as far back as the late nineties. A slight revision from “recent” to “direction” narrowed the search to 100k - still too many. From these, I glanced quite a few (about twenty) and what I noticed is the direction towards e-learning, or the transmission of learning through the internet – distance learning, education principles as applied to e-learning, classroom management in e-classroom, the status of IT promotion, status of education and training system, IT human resources required and e-learning market trends. Even the Conference Board of Canada and its Research Publications at http://www.conferenceboard.ca/education/reports/default.htm has this to say about Canadian direction - "Canada is on the verge of creating an e-economy and e-society that can fundamentally alter the way in which most Canadians live".

For Europeans, like the one I saw from Minsk, Nekrasova, direction includes improving qualification of educational administrators and specialists (problems of management by functioning and development of educational institutions, didactics and modern educational technologies); testing school pedagogical personnel. Basically, these are the same things that bear the same importance for us, Filipinos.

In America, as portrayed in “The Educator’s Reference Desk” at http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/res.cgi/Educational_Management, the following topics seem to be their priorities:
Attendance
Community Relationships
Compensatory Education
Discipline Policy
Dress Codes
Education Reform
Educational Facilities
Educational Finance
Gender--Sexuality
Grade Repetition
Grants
No Child Left Behind
Personnel
Scheduling
School Health
School Safety
Student Behavior

Blogs from teachers and educators in America, return complaints and more complaints over federal policies, prescribed modules and No Child policy. These are a bunch of negative people, I tell you. Makes you wonder why they are teachers in the first place. Also, I notice that most of them would rather just teach (science and math – these are fashionable and in-demand, as they say) than be administrators. One very vocal member of “Education” (what a title, huh?) in Tribe.net said there was no future in getting a PhD in Educational Management, and advised one confused graduate student to just focus on Science Ed.

Having all these in mind, I wondered about my set direction. I am already geared towards the following general (and rather vague) path in my research and thesis:
Effective Schools Movement in the Philippines. Whether the Effective Schools Model is already being applied here, and among the best schools, what is a parallel trait, as found also in the model. There is one dissertation (McMackin, 1991) I read in DLSU Library, although he surveyed a whole district in New York.

Pygmalion Effect in Educational Management. I did a preliminary survey with my group mates last term at our Instructional Leadership course under Dr. Muñoz, yielding interesting results. There have been serious gaps in the Pygmalion Effect historically, as I found in my researches last term. In the Philippines, I have yet to find something. The problem with Pygmalion Effect is that there have been no agreements as to the “expectation” and “intrinsic motivation”. And there appears a lot of intervening factors. Pygmalion effect for me is a topic on motivation. This will certainly help a lot of principals, especially beginning ones.

The above topics seem to be my direction in my research proposal, as of the moment. Of course, I expect my able professor to inspire me to tread unforeseen paths and realize more things as we go on.


References:

Chair of Management and Technologies of Education 22040, Minsk, Nekrasova
http://ape.edu.by/eng/struct/dcte.htm

Conference Board of Canada, Research Publications http://www.conferenceboard.ca/education/reports/default.htm

Educators’ Reference Desk
http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/res.cgi/Educational_Management

McMackin, Howard Michael. (1991). “The Influence of the Effective Schools Model on the Invention, Adoption, and Implementation of Innovations by a School Improvement Team: A Process Study”. Dissertation: The University of Connecticut

Vroom, Victor H. (1994). “Work and Motivation”. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

Information Overload

I don't know why I feel like this. It's a sort of fear of living and all, a fear of moving. It's like all I want to do is to lie there on the grass (no pun on anything) and just look at the vanilla sky, in a sort of make-believe fantasy where I can rest forever. Suddenly, there it goes again - that feeling of being in another crossroad, wondering about that other bend you passed, the road less travelled.

Perhaps, it was a sort of an information overload. Or interest overload. I recently spent a lot of time with my brother, after so many months of being not-there with us. His interest is music. It is his life. He teaches music, piano and guitar. His wife who is always with him does the same thing. And they are both in a band. When you talk to them, it's all music, I tell you. It's that unpronouncable band who is a trio and hails from Newark whatever. And an upcoming reunion of this band from the 60s, who's about three thousand years old and all. On my part, I don't even remember the names of the songs we cover back then. I don't even remember the lyrics of my own songs, for God's sake. But those kind of talks somehow lure me back to where I was before. The done-that-but-never-made-it kind of thing.

Then, the internet. It is so powerful. You won't realize it but it has gone over your system. Like the other day. I virtually stayed in front of the computer the whole day plus two hours of midnight and dawn, reading articles and opinions on almost everything - education, management, business, entertainment, music, mathematics, philosophy, physics. They make me feel like that frog who managed to escape the well where their whole frog clan has been staying for generations already. That feeling of awe and amazement to the great questions of life and every b***it in town and in your head.

This is what I realized about the experience. First, Dr. Habulan was right (this lady has a great effect on me, she is always in my reflections) - you cannot listen from everybody, you'll get crazy. You have to differentiate between fact and fiction, from (scientifically-designed) theory or supposition, from research or opinion. That way, you end up

1. not accepting everything written
2. not reading everything written
3. not attempting to disprove everything written

Further, I realize that again, vision and mission (personal ones) still makes you sane and effective. For one, you have to realize which ones are in line with what you really stand for. Whither are you going? If up, then do not go down. If right, then left you must not turn. If left, avoid the other way. If down, then proceed immediately.

Having been used perhaps to the dim light of the well of mediocrity, I am now blinded by too much immediate light. Perhaps, awe-stricken. Perhaps, overwhelmed. Perhaps they will discover tidbits of this kind later (when I eventually win the Pulitzer and all - plus all the Nobel prizes) and they will say - nah, he did not mean that; he was just horsing around.
But this is one thing I promise. I will not stay forever in this stage. Half-blinded, I may shut my eyes for a while - get some sleep. Later, I will probably wear shades - still fashionable these days. And when I am ready, when used to the light am I, I will make my light so bright. I will shine even brighter than a thousand supernovae. For the whole world to see.

For now, I got to eat ice cream.

Coming to America

Last night, after watching this movie about a Chinese boy and an Indian boy (I think it's about those other-than-white-in-America thing), I turned to HBO and "Conspiracy Theory" was showing. So I reviewed that - till the end. I was about to shut off the TV - by God it's already 10:45PM by then I guess - but Coming to America will follow. Let's see, I told myself, just some scenes. Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Darth Vader (James Earl Jones), Cuba Gooding Jr (was there!), and wait Samuel Jackson? Where was he there? Hence, I watch until Samuel Jackson came up - but it was like at the half already and anyways, I got so many hours of nap that afternoon, so what the heck even if it's Monday the next day and all. In all, the movie was like an hour and a half or so. So I finally turned it off at 1:30 AM. Hence, today as I type these 3rd Quarter exams (for standardization purposes...awright! they don't know how to, ok? and I got to type my blogger here...) I am completely sleepy. Like Rosebud (did you know that it was the true name of Sleeping Beauty? yeah I know, I am a guy ok. I just want to show off a bit) and the rest of the kingdom.
The movie was from the 80s and the greased hair of Darryl doesn't fit anymore, but there is something about that movie that made me watch it till the wee hours (for the working me).
What I like about that movie
1. No sexual implication. It was clean fun. Of course there were the sexy dancers from Zamunda, during the presentation of the proposed queen but that's that. I don't know if they cut it. Anyways, even if there is, it is never the focus. Even kids can watch it, if they like of course.
2. The combination of Arsenio Hall and Eddie Murphy was awesome. I don't really like Arsenio on his own, especially during the time when he had this solo comedy act thing like Letterman. But here, his antics were minimal so it was fine. I liked it when they showed the characters and actually found out that - again, because I already watched this movie ten plus ago - the minister was Arsenio (I liked his portrayal there) and the band singer was Eddie Murphy. And also the white person at the bar who was a fan of Rocky Marciano. I did not see that coming. I mean, really. The super ugly girl (those were close to their words at the roll in the end) who looked like Dennis Rodman was of course Arsenio. They should have done this a lot. I mean, Eddie did these things again in Nutty right? But I guess never again with Arsenio.
3. I like the part when the fat attendant said "We are not there yet, your majesty" - when Eddie Murphy and his bride were already kissing.
4. I love the attitude of Hakeem. How many of us will do that? Arsenio's role was already unusual, but understandable. It is understandable for him to be patient with work and all because he was serving the prince. But the prince's attitude all through out, his child-like curiosity of things, his positive disposition, and the way he expresses himself, it was like the Dalai Lama himself. Makes you want to remember G, the movie of Eddie Murphy also. For the negative people, this will amount to idealism, or worse, an unrealistic role.
What I don't like about the film.
1. Who was the beautiful girl who was with them the whole time? I mean, is she just a server in the palace? I thought that in the end, Arsenio will end up with her or something but it never did. Her role is somewhat obscure.
2. I don't like the switch of personality of Dad McDowell from serious, God-fearing, daughter-loving, straight guy and dad to a money-lover, status-seeking jerk. Of course, it was fun and all but it's way too much. Perhaps it's just part of the comedy.
3. I wish they just stucked with McDonald's instead of mentioning it over and over. Like the boy that shot pictures and all just to show that McDonald's is running after them and all - I don't see the point. Perhaps, it's an 80s thing or something. Or perhaps, they just want to parody McDonald's. Or those people who imitate. Or better, they just want to make McDowell just a regular entrepreneur who is not that rich - to avoid complications.
4. I hate the dance number of the sister Patricia (?) and even the mini. Surely an 80s thing but it's disgusting after twenty years. There are dance steps that will still be ok even after a thousand years - like the one from I'm Singing In the Rain, and Moulin Rogue (hey, it's not because of...ok, it's because of Nicole Kidman).
5. They should have not inserted that sister ending up with Daryll. I mean, Daryll soaked from the rain knocking on the door, and her sister opens the door... and.... It's a lot of crap really. Where are they living anyway? What's his business going to that place? It wasn't coming and all - Daryll should have been depicted as a person who likes to fool around and all, if this will make meaning. But it's pointless. It only made the sister look cheap.
6. The march of the bride is already a give-away. It had to be her. Then, pop McDowell comes out from hiding with big smiles and all - what a crap. Not being creative.
This would have been a better ending:
(right after the scene where the Queen mother says "Hey I thought you're the king" - insinuating that the king should change the traditions.)
Hakeem returned to the palace and he is depicted lying on the couch or something. Queen comes in trying to appease him, she looks straight and all - while Hakeem is gloomy as death. She says to Hakeem, I hope you have learned the ways of the kingdom etc. how to accept and fight for your destiny. etc. Then, she says, do you want to speak with your bride? Before the wedding, she continues. Hakeem's face doesn't change and all and he was still lying there and nods a bit. Queen mother exits and a girl comes from behind - perhaps wearing the same dress of the supposed bride. Then, it will come to a point when Hakeem will try to talk to her but he is just there on the couch and all not looking at her and the bride is depicted as massaging him. He tries to tell her that he met a girl in America and he wants her to be his bride. The girl is just nodding and her face is not showing - and he will just be hearing her say "I know, I know", then he looks at the mirror and sees the reflection of his true love. and that's it. The wedding would be cut perhaps. Just the throwing of flowers and the cheering of people. What will be missing is the long kiss of Hakeem and the girl, with the insistence of the fat attendant that "majesty we have not reached that part yet". That was hilarious by the way. Ok, their ending was better. Happy?
In a scale of 1 to 10, how would I rate the movie?
This is my rubric:
10 - A+ - One for the Oscars or the Best Films of all time
9 - A - Unforgettable, makes you want to repeat it again. A must-see movie
8 - A- Almost perfect, a very good movie.
7 - B+ - A good movie
6 - B - An entertaining movie
5 - B- A barely entertaining movie
4 - C+ An inadequate movie3 - C A shallow movie with unthought out parts
2 - C- Almost forgettable movie.
1 - D A forgettable movie. A must-not-see movie
0 - F Horrible. Only for the dogs.

I rate this movie 7.5/10

Happy Birthday to my mother!!!

Happy birthday, mother!!!

I remember when I was young, I had this card made for my mother on the occasion her birthday, saying the following words:

I love you mother.

You are one.

Not in a million.

Not in a billion.

Not even in a zillion.

You are one.

Just one.

And in these seeming infinite expanse and more infinite combinations of materials, experiences and so on...meeting together into different personalities and places... I am grateful without measure to the author who designed them all...

because He willed that at such a time in the history of humanity...

I was born to you...and you became my mother.

I love you mother.

I cannot think of a better poem or greeting to give her today. I would just babble the same words... perhaps invent new words or so... but the thought will still be the same. God I wish my Papa was here now to know the things happening to me and us. He would have been proud of me posting myself in the net. He was proud over the simplest things. He was proud when I first made my walk he forgot I was just two and so I earned the mark on my forehead. Harhar...

Hey, I was talking about my mother. Come to think of it, I cannot separate the thoughts of the two. They are made for each other. They were the loveteam of our house. My Papa would have enjoyed the cake and the picture taking with Andrea blowing the cake and all... God, I miss the guy.

My mother turned 67 today. God knows how long more will Papa wait in order for them to be together for eternity. I sure hope it won't be soon because I am just recuperating from the loss. What a lousy blog this is, ain't it? I was talking about birthdays and deaths at the same time. That's how my thoughts flowed. Papa, I miss you. Mother, happy birthday!!! We care a lot for you. We will keep you company till the day Papa will get you na. I love you.

You are one.

The only one.

I have done something you've never done

This is my answer to the discussion forum in dlsu on legal matters in education

hope no one is watching...he he... (Psycho background)
Talking about "something one has done that no one else in the class has done" amazes me. I mean, it's like you're reading through writeups of convicts. Hehe. Anyways, I have done a lot of things that normal people don't do simply because I wanted to be different from everybody. I grew up in a private school ran by Dominicans in San Juan. It's a place of rich people so I don't fit in. Like everyday in class my classmates would bring robots of Voltes V and it was only in grade 4 or 5 that I realized that it's read as five and not V. God those were the shameful days. That's the reason why I grew up feeling I have to be different in order to be the best. This I took even when I grew up.
So that, I learned how to play the guitar while other boys play basketball. I learned to write songs while they ride bicycles and skateboards. I learned to write poems, sonnets and short stories and what-have-you while the other boys go swimming and courting girls. Until now, I don't know how to swim, ride bicycles, and skateboard. I still don't play basketball. I still don't court girls. Uhurmm.. that might be an exception.
Nonconformism for might be just a personality trait (thanks, Kay) or a disorder of sorts, something I haven't fulfilled in the Freudian or Erikson stages. It's like imagining yourself as a crossover between James Dean and John Lennon. Or Che Gueverra, even St. La Salle, who hated the conventionalism of only the rich can have education.
Anyways, something that I did that I hope you never did:
1. I had a punk rock band back in the 90s. For some time, we played in some places - not so many of them because I was also working then in the bank. We also recorded a musical album called Overdue. It's a compilation of ten of my written songs with my brother. My brother still play in a band called Blister. This time they will be famous because I am not with them anymore.
2. I wrote more than 700 songs with my brother back in the 90s, all of them are still with him. They are nothing but angst of forgotten dreams and lost childhood. Lord Byron once said that the most beautiful music comes from a broken heart. The last song I wrote was back in 2001 - before I got married.
3. I also wrote short stories, which I plan to publish later - I said this already back in the 90s - called The Old Woman In The Churchyard and Other Stories.
4. I wrote a treatise called Summary on Traditionalism, a syllogistic treatise on the faith (Summa Fidei), which I wrote as a response to the Open Letter to Confused Catholics - a book by the former Archbishop Lefebvre, a schismatic leader in Econe, France. I submitted this to the Divine Word Seminary, and they offered me scholarship to be a priest. That was in 1995 when I was just 24. I plan to publish it later - na naman.
5. I changed career from banking to academe and was successful on both. I was already an officer, an accountant in my former bank - and I wasn't even a CPA. Then, I shifted careers (because I wanted to go to Canada but they told me it is better to pursue a path related to Mathematics - my undergrad course) and became a principal in three years time. To think that all I wanted was three years of teaching experience. And here I am now almost finish with my MA in Education.
6. I wanted to include getting 4s in all my master's courses but I know most of you have done it.
Come to think of it, this is the superman syndrome Nietzsche was referring to. Because I have this inferiority complex back then, I struggled and get past to it, and now think I am better than everybody else. But of course, I don't think that way of my classmates and professors in LaSalle. It's just a way to pacify yourself of many inferiority thoughts. Sometimes, the result is doing a lot of things you never really finish through and through. Like the jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none tagline. Anyways, these are my thoughts about myself. This is very helpful to me, like a trip into my inner sanctum of psyche. Thanks, doctor.

Win Some, Lose Some

I really lost the wallet. With my new SSS ID card. Sounds familiar? SSS? squabble? Instant karma's gonna get you.... (John Lennon, Instant Karma)

Plus, there are some money there. Which I most definitely need in these dire times. God, I always lose something. I remembered I lost the ring my mother gave me when I graduated in college. And the necklace with it. I lost about five cellphones, three wallets now, the first time I lost 5,500.00 in the jeepney. Awhile I ago, while I was typing the article on La Salle, I was telling myself, they cannot put a good man down. I rise and always rise back again. A few hundred pesos won't put me away for good.

This evening, I was ok at our class. We had a grouping and I got to report again. As usual. And it was ok, since I read about La Salle. Basically, the things I said are the very things I wrote in my previous article. It's good to come prepared.

We also learned the sign language for
"St. Jean-Baptiste de La Salle, pray for us
Live, Jesus in our hearts forever."

I like the professor we have. He sounds like a priest. I remember the days of my saintlihood. harhar. And he mentioned the WYD 95 pa. God, I felt like being transported back in 1995 when I was at the pinnacle of holiness.

One thing more, he made us listen to a song (provided with lyrics) from the After Image - "Next in Line" and went asking our favorite lines. He never asked me, but I was hoping he would because I would say "Touch the sun" because it's there, Wency said it but it's not in the lyric sheet. It's what he said. That's why when he was doing a segway on a three worded phrase at the end that the remake did not copy, I immediately said "Touch the Sun" - a clear pun on the Son. And it was what he was intending. I kinda read his mind.

Win some, lose some. It's how life moves.

La Salle's Mission

I just read the life story of St. Jean Baptiste de la Salle, the founder of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. Before I took a bath this morning, I downloaded the article from ewtn.com, wikipedia and the mission statement from lasalle.org. All these, in preparation for the La Sallian Philosophy later tonight, my first class this term.

One thing that I disliked about St. La Salle then was the insistence from other people that he is the patron saint of teachers. Of course, the reason is that my favorite saint, Thomas Aquinas is regarded as the patron saint of teachers eversince. In my mind, that's what I hold dear. Anything less than that, was sacrilege. Anyways, there is a mistake there, I realized now. St. La Salle, is the patron saint of Teachers of the Youth. The focus is on the youth, mind you. After reading the article, I somehow realized what a noble path I have chosen. I kinda (the word is intended) admire him now. Like really.

What I don't like about myself is that whenever I get to read something about great people, I automatically apply their lives to mine. When I read about Kant, I was amazed how we got to the same example of 7 + 5 = 12 in talking about Mathematics, even before reading his book. What are the odds there? In reading Hume, I saw myself again. He was playing backgammon with friends and then find it ice cold and bland to face the typewriter in front of abstract concepts in philosophy. When I was writing One World, I was playing all day long with my bandmates, only to go home with the same abstract things of philosophy. Then, there was Locke and Berkeley and Voltaire. Now, there was St. La Salle. When I got to the part how he wrote his Manual for Teachers of Christian Schools, I saw myself writing our manual. Like he was. What a sacrilege. It's for my good though.

The opening lines were very appropriate for me - La Salle saw in his vocation the path that he will tread all his life. And he never sailed it under friendly skies. Rather, the article talked of how it was "a long and hard struggle, with few tangible rewards". I am feeling that way too in my quest for excellence in education. When I wrote my Career Goals, ultimately inspired after taking my 18 units of professional education, I was talking of how I want to innovate in education. I never read about La Salle's idea then. When I resigned with Dominican College, I wrote that there is something that calls me - to this effect - that is infinitely bigger than my existence in Dominican. I intended the word existence. Then, I was offered the Principalship of a family-run school in San Pedro, where I am staying now. I again intend the word staying. I am most of the times exasperated because I have all the ideas in the world - Andy and my mother told me that my portfolio in InLead is not a portfolio but a dissertation, 190 pages in all - and yet it is hard to explain these things to people, especially to people who are not in education. I am despaired too often because I have to always explain to (almost) everybody here how and why we should focus on academics instead of activities, and why I opted a change in the evaluation of preschool, focusing on objectives and assessment and not the grades. These things would have been immediately understood by people who are in the same wavelength as I am. But come to think of it, in the normal curve, only 2.5% would lie in that area. (The pun on being a genius, is again intended, sorry.)

Again, what I am saying is as St. Jean-Baptiste de La Salle, I see myself as trying to pursue a path less travelled. Most of our educators are merely contented in following the orthodox and tested way in pursuing education. But there have been a lot of changes already. Most of the researches flourished with the internet technology and now, with the click of the mouse, we can peruse information and learning from a site in Harvard University for example. We cannot ignore these results. Plus, we cannot also ignore the fact that most of our youths are now being unChristianized by the world especially the media. What are we going to do about it? What would St. La Salle do in the same situation?

As St. La Salle, we must give and not count the cost (ironic but this line came from St. Ignatius). We should not focus on earthly rewards because they might not be forthcoming in this world. When La Salle started he never realized how his educational reforms would come to change the world as they did. Come to think of it, it somehow made the poor in France realize how important education was. Remember that it was the educated poor in France who started the French Revolution, bringing democracy to all the world. It's a thought. I am not a philosopher of history, but it's queer that after the "revolution" of St. La Salle in education, the French Revolution came. St. La Salle, indeed, was at the right place in history. And he followed his mission to the dot.

If the saints were alive today, what would they do? Perhaps they will use all means possible in order to evangelize the world; and bring countless souls, young souls back to God. Perhaps, they too will open discussion fora, yahoo groups, chat sessions, blogspots, websites, in order to promote the Good News. Ask 100 young people what "good news" is all about and a fewer than 10 will respond something about the faith.

St. La Salle ought to be imitated in every way. He was pro-poor and lived in accordance to that dictum. When given the fortune that would have excused him and his brothers from hard work, what did he do? He went out of the ordinary - in this present world, you will call it insanity - and distributed it to the poor of Chanpagne stricken that time of harsh winter. Hey, that winter passed did it not? What were you thinking St. La Salle? But, he wasn't thinking of grand claims and future plans of greatness. He was not a business man, like the many businessmen we have now in DelaSalle. The article mentioned that he had to rely on donations from people in order to further his vocation. Perhaps, he was thinking, if this has the blessing of God, no one can stop it. Hence, he let go of the money and thought first of the poor. They were his priority. He was pro-poor and he remained that way all his life.

I will continue oh my God to do all my actions for the love of you.

St. Jean-Baptiste de la Salle, pray for us.

Live, Jesus! in our hearts forever.

Amen.

If ever they don't buy, I won't sell

Those who can read...read 'em 'tween the lines....

I always believe that people are underappreciated most of the times...

I believe that honor is due only after a long time... Jesus is still not being honored today...

John Nash received his Nobel Prize in 1990s for something he wrote back in the 50s or so.

I am a person who has so many ideas for our place. If they don't buy it, I'd be willing to share them with others. It's a pity. At least I did my very best.

Reading through my manual, and writings and reflections in education, I realized one thing. You can't please everybody. In fact, you cannot please anybody everytime. I only aim to please myself. It's hard to be rejected because I wasn't prepared by my parents that way when we were young. I was secluded in a place where only the best things are happening. The world out here is something so unclear and different from that safe haven in God-knows-where. Half of my parents are now gone. And somehow, only the memories of their smiles and hugs and little plays and shouts of approval ... George kaya mo yan. Ang galing talaga ng anak ko... those words they are the only consolations you hear. But some people do care. My professors care. They won't give me 4 if they don't feel I deserve it. I am also a teacher. When I give a student the highest rating, that means s/he deserves it. Anyways.

I believe that most people will not realize your value till they realize your full worth - at a distance, after they gathered what a jerking ass they must have been to let go of something so wonderful. Most of the times they realize. And they call you most often and say, sir..sana andito ka pa din sa Dominican. Wala na tuloy kaming...

Most of the times, they realize...

Most of the times, they realize too late

I got 4 in Instructional Leadership!!!

This morning, Andy called me and told me I got 4 in Instructional Leadership. It's my only lacking subject this past term. That's my 6th straight 4. This afternoon, I was telling myself that my Chinese numerology this year is 4 - the stuck number. This year, from my birthday in February, my number is 5 - depicting a travel, a promotion, or change of scenery.

Come to think of it, it's not a stuck year for me. I was promoted to become a principal this year, and earned 18 units in masters, with 6 straight 4s! Wow! That's some tall order. Perhaps, 4 does not represent stuck year. Perhaps, it was just predicting my average in my master's - 4/4! A reason to celebrate!!!

I am missing nga pala my wallet. Sana tomorrow, makita ko...

The last day of vacation

After much rest from the humdrums and pressures of work, I am now on my very last day of vacation. Tomorrow, it's another day of travelling through the hiway of Santa Rosa, Binan and San Pedro. Tomorrow, I get to spend hours with the hundreds of jeepneys, cars, vans and trucks on their way to wherever. God, I despise getting up in the morning to go to work. But, as St. Paul said, let him who do not work not eat. I think that is a very good lesson that we must appreciate in this country of ours. You see, most husbands just stay at home, watch TV, gamble, drink and even do far worse things while their wives go to work to feed their families. It's a shame, but it's the way of the world that we are in. For me, I'd rather propose that those who have no positive contribution to the society be put to death as a form of sacrifice so that others may live better. It's a shame that these people are the ones destroying society living in the masquerade and protection of the laws of the land. These same laws are the ones they violate every day!!! Shame on you peeps!

As for me, I will rise up early in the morning tomorrow. I will shut this thing off and sleep so that I may rise up early. That's what I'll do in order for me to convince myself that my life is a worthwhile one. That I am of value to the society. Because I am.

near squabble at sss-biñan

you see the problem with people like arnel - if that is the name of the freakin' bastard from sss-biñan - is that he seldom smiles. perhaps, the smiles from his mouth come just some ten minutes before his paycheck. that is, before he realizes what a lousy job he got and how many things he has to pay. problem is, how is it that people like him - uncontented, discouraged, unfriendly, unFilipino, unloving, unwelcoming, illogical, unreasonable and most precisely unsmiling - if you know what i mean - gets to stay for thirty or more years in the government? see, in my opinion, if a person is not contented with what is going on in his career, or his present job, he has to go and find another one. yet no. people like arnel stays in the place called purgatorio never really understanding how and why he has this so-called point-of-no-return thing, or this so-called satisfaction thing, a payment of debt. and then, later, a hundred years after an OC guy like me steps into his world with (what my mother calls) my LaSallian conceitedness (or understanding that i am well, always right), he still won't understand why God sent me to him this day. it's an alarm clock, man. it never said "smile my man", or "this is also my government" or that "you're an arrogant bastard (with my usual English accent)". no, it's not even the complaint filed then and there to his superior - the most incompetent and unmanagerial head of the biñan branch of sss. rather, it's an alarm clock that says, hey you have got no business in the government. you and all silly asses like you who do not care if people go back and forth to your place just because they do not understand proper procedure. it's a plead for you to leave the place because like you and many other people worse than you are - are making a mockery of the government and everything that is great about the Filipino nation. unfortunately, even if we execute all you bastards in the government, you will always resurrect into another life form - like a meandering virus, that's ready to plague ourselves with your decency. You are one of the millions of people we do not need in this country. i realized that if we only get rid of people like you, and with the present GDP we have, we are going to be a very rich nation. if only someone in our ranks could do a Hitler, and execute the bastards of this nation, starting from you government people - so that we can have a perfect air to breathe. heil der fuhrer. if they do not want, let me be the one to lead. i believed as a youth that this nation can be great again, and with the nationalist socialist flag waving above. if we can promote nationalism and decency only with the nazi standard, let it be. (the syllogism is valid even though the antecedent may be impossible - if you know what i mean)

this pm, my mother and i were joking about the news from biñan - an explosive guised as a gift. i told her it was a mistake. it should have been brought to the sss-biñan branch.

har har.


(The reason for the small letters is that this is just an expression of hate and angst. I know I have not acted in the best possible way, as a gentleman, as an educator, and as a Catholic Christian. But I am also a human, just a human.)

Welcome 2006!!!