payat ko pa dito hehehe

isn't it shitty when...

..someone asks you to do something without giving you clear instructions hoping that you would understand the task on your own? and then when he sees the result of your efforts he will simply say "oh i'm sorry, i wasn't able to give you the correct information".

that happened to me today. a student asked for my assistance on a school matter. i called up several people to clarify some instructions. one of them said that there is no specific format or requirement as long as the student indicates his intent. after three and a half hours the student came back to me downtrodden because the letter we prepared was "wrong". how can it be when we asked specifically for information and we were told that there were no specifics.

so i called up again to clarify and the only thing i was told was "i'm sorry i overlooked it." yeah right! those things should not be overlooked. it is not excusable. we are talking about time and effort here. i don't like wasting other people's time and effort so i make sure i do not OVERLOOK details.

The food was great, the FO sucks!

Smack at the center of Cebu City lies the formidable Crown Regency Hotel and Towers. Housing the famous Sky Walk and Edge Coaster, it is accessible t the major points of commerce and recreation. The facilities and amenities are great, the food was great too.

Unfortunately, their front office staff are INCOMPETENT. I stayed there for 3 days and I had several encounters with them. They never look up and greet you (like most FO would do); I even wonder if they know English because when I talked to them it takes a while before they respond (if ever they do). I was expecting that they are trained to welcome inquiries (man, they can't even answer yes or no! They would simply shake their heads!)

On our first night we needed a room list for our wards, my companion requested for the list before dinner time (7:00 pm); she was told that it would be photocopied and given to her immediately. We got that list at 10pm! And only after my companion expressed her irritation at the incompetence of the staff. Then the senior manager approached us and said that he was the cousin of this and that. That he was a member of this international organization...who cares? What matters is the training that they provide to their FO. I even asked him if the FO are ojts, he was very proud to say that they are full time staff. Then Terry, you should train them well! They act as if they are trainees.

The housekeeping staff are also very slow...of course they would claim that there are a lot of guests...but hey, shouldn't they be equipped to serve all guests? It is not the guests' fault that they did not hire more staff.

On our last day I asked for a permanent marker because they did not allow our package in the room. I went to the FO and I had to call out to the staff 2 times before they even looked at me. And the only response I got was a shaking head. No utterance whatsoever! I have tried checking in at a SOGO hotel in Alabang when I needed to attended a wedding in Laguna, and their FO personnel were far better than the ones I encountered at the Crown Regency Hotel and Towers Cebu.

Ramblings of someone who heard a side of a story but has not heard the other person's side (and therefore may not be taken as authority on said matter)

Patience is a vital component of friendship. It is exhibiting tolerance and therefore exercising kindness. I used to be incapable of that. But now that I have matured I can safely say that my patience has improved by at least 50%.

However, patience has a limit. When someone exhibits tactlessness on very rare occasions you may consider those occasions as accidents or slips of the tongue. But if the experience is frequent and getting worse, then, as a friend, one has to warn the said party for his/her own safety. But how to do it? How do you tell someone that they should change their ways when they think that they are always correct? How do you warn someone of impending doom if he or she feels that they are invincible? Or maybe not invincible but at least confident of his or her stand.

Youth should never be used as an excuse for tactlessness. When I was young someone told me that I was tactless. I looked it up and found that a tactless person lacked perceptiveness, judgment and finesse. I can't say that I am no longer guilty of such but at least I now know how to control myself. I know when to blurt out and when to shut up. I know when to attack and when to retreat so I can prepare for a better attack.

When you are caught between two people whom you both like and would like to protect from each other what do you do? You cannot take sides of course. You cannot say that one is at fault even though it's pretty obvious. You cannot always say “be patient because she is younger”. But you cannot always reprimand someone because she is younger. You wouldn't want her to think that you are taking sides. But you also do not want the other to think that you are condoning the unacceptable act.

Any answers? Please post your comments.

I urge you with all passion to seize the day

My niece told me about her friend's son whom I met in my grandson's baptism. When I met him on July 31, 2010 the boy showed all signs of happiness and activity. He was riding my grandson's bike, having fun with the other kids and generally looked healthy.

Yesterday, on our way to the mall, my niece told me that the boy was in comatose state; that he was taken to the ICU and been transferred from one hospital to another; that his parents have spent millions of pesos to help the boy survive.

The boy had MRSA Superbug. His body has been going through a lot for a kid of medium build. My niece said he had tubes all over to help him eat, breathe, take medicine, discharge body waste. I was on the verge of tears when my niece was sharing this story.

Why the MRSA Superbug is so Dangerous

The MRSA Superbug is able to survive treatment by antibiotics such as methicillin and penicillin. This becomes particularly dangerous in the case of hospital MRSA, because it affects patients with already compromised immune systems. Patients from intensive care units, burns units, surgical and orthopaedic wards are particularly at risk.

The ‘Killer’ MRSA Superbug

A rare mutation of CA-MRSA produces the lethal toxin panton–valentine leucocidim (PVL). PVL destroys white blood cells, destroying a person’s immune system and leaving it too weak to fight infection. Pneumonia, very high temperature and coughing up blood are all symptoms. Alarmingly, only a quarter of victims survive PVL if it spreads to the lungs.

(accessed September 18, 2010, http://www.mrsapedia.com/mrsa-superbug)

I was thinking if this happened to my kid (If I had one) I would be devastated...not because of the amount of money spent on keeping him alive but on the wasted moments. Because if it were my kid I would want him to have a normal, peaceful, happy life albeit simple and low key. I would teach my kid to grab every opportunity life gives...it may be the simple joy of taking a walk in the rain or taking charge of a school project. I will teach my kid to always look at the bright side of life; to now wallow in sadness but to convert this sadness into something creative. I will teach my kid to enjoy life. I will teach him to seize the day...you should too.

For more information about MRSA you may visit http://www.mrsapedia.com/mrsa-infection.

Amazing Grace

i'm bored

when i'm bored i make incoherent sounds. i blabber, i walk around, i bother people. and when i realize that there is something worthwhile to do, i do it. i finish it, then i get bored again.

i guess it's also my fault because i work too fast. give me a task and i will finish it pronto! there's no sense in stretching the time anyway...

right now i'm bored and it's a good thing that regina, ces and aala are here. at least i have people to talk to and bug! hehehe

the cove, 2009

a couple of years ago i went up Mt. Palay palay in ternate,cavite to write an article. there we saw marines butchering a dolphin they said "they found dying along the beach" they didn't want the meat to go to waste so they decided to preserve the meat and take it to camp. i thought that was cruel. this, however, is worse.

God always sends angels

i had to go to the bank today. i planned to take a tricycle ride to BPI for convenience. When i was queuing a tricycle driver who already had two passengers asked me if i wanted to ride so i said "no thank you" in a very neutral tone. he kept on asking though as if he didn't hear me the first time. the third time he asked me i said "ayokong magback ride". i was already pissed at the audacity of the driver so i said it in a very stern tone. then he said "tinatanong ka lang naman eh, ang damot mo!" i don't know how he can say i'm selfish when i told him flat out that i am not taking his ride. so now i plan to file a complaint with the security office to put him in his proper place.

when i got to the bak my number was 72 and they were only calling for 30. the chairs at BPI Manggahan were not enough and i was about to tell the manager to open another teller because there were already a lot of people there.

when i was really getting so pissed off, a woman gave me her number...it was 45!

Whoo! God always sends angels!

No Entry!

Sorry no entry for today!
today is kinda messy for me. this morning i rearranged the office furniture so i can have room for the second pc due to come any day now. then i went to the faculty room to eat waffles with my friends. then i accomplished the forms at the accounting office. then i worked on the report for IQA.
i did so many little tasks that i can't seem to remember any of them.

Now you made me cry!

I was tagged in a wall post by a former student from Philippine Science High School, Justin Ayran. He belonged to my advisory class, 3-Beryllium which happens to have its own article in this blog. (Please see entry beryllium 2002, Monday October 24, 2005).

He said:

Justin Ayran I've never seen my students so immersed in a story as they are now. We are studying In a Grove. Thank you, Ms. Anna Lea Casela, for the lesson when I was in high school.

Every teacher would want to hear that. I do. It gives me strength. It makes me want to move further forward in this field! Thank you Justin! I was really born to teach and I love being a teacher! I hope you see the treasure in teaching too.

This is an actual comment on my facebook account

Regina Rendal This afternoon po I was reading your blog,mam.xp I was just so pissed of po by the things that has been happening in one of our subjects and suddenly I remember the poll in your site po.haha. so I paid a visit po and vote. Anyways po, umabot po ako dun sa 'babae po ako' na post.xp anlayooo n pala po ng narating ko ng d ko namamalayan. Reading your blog make me realize that life is toooooo short po. I hope po that when the time comes that I'll be in your age, makakalahati man lang po ako sa naachieve nyo.xp hahahaha!

This comment came from my staffer. It always touches my heart when someone says these things to me. It feeds my soul to be considered a mentor...a beacon...a guide to living. But I am always reminded of the big responsibility. I know I am not perfect, I make mistakes, I get angry, I get hurt and I am capable of hurting people.

How can I be a good guide when I can be lost at times too? How can I light the way when I sometimes tread dark alleys as well? How can I be good mentor when I need mentoring too?

I still do not have answers for these questions but at least I know at some point in my life I have affected positive change in other people. I have somewhat influenced them to be better people, I have encouraged them to be strong and firm...just as other people encourage me to be a better, stronger, more positive person.

4 things to remember about me

1. I can read people like I do books. I can see if they are good or if they are just faking it. I can even tell if they are lying no matter how sweetly they talk to me. One thing is for sure, the sweeter the talk the nastier the bite. You can never pretend when you are with me. I may not say anything but it doesn't mean I don't know what you are doing.

2. I have been around longer than some of you and I have met so many people in my journeys. I have been called by many names some nasty, some downright rude. But I don't mind them as long as I know I stand on solid ground. I know when I am wrong. I don't apologize all the time but it doesn't mean I don't do anything about it either. If I know I have to change I do...but I don't have to tell anybody.

3. I don't need too much recognition. Once in a while will do fine as long as it's not forgotten. It's not about feeding the ego, however, it's about feeding the soul. If you hear some encouraging words once in a while you would feel better about a lot of things. You may even learn to let go of some petty grudges.

4. Once I say “I love you” you can be sure I will be with you in all circumstances. I will support you and I will defend you. BUT it doesn't mean that I will condone your actions. My support for you will come not only in loving words but also in reprimand.

What shall I write about today?

Should I write about my pending paper work?

Or that I received a memo dated August 26 two hours ago

with a report due tomorrow?

Should I write about how I had to file an official business form

So I can have a consultation on Tuesday?

Or that I have to file a reimbursement of my other official business

Last week before I can request for petty cash?

Should I write about the number of times we had to revise a flyer?

Or the number of times we had to change the pictures?

Or maybe my calendar which is steadily getting heavier...

How about the company of the kids who came at lunch time

And how we made fun...uh-hum...i mean had fun together.

Oh...how about how I can talk to my students advising them to behave

So they won't get into trouble with the other teachers?

Should I write about coffee, lemonade, lunch, files, folders,

sticky pads, facebook, blogging, chatting....

What?

What?

What?

What my brothers taught me

I have two brothers: Ting ang Aboy, both are older than me. Both took care of me when I was a kid. I never got along with my sisters and I didn't mind.

My eldest sibling, Ting, taught me logic. He was the one who encouraged me to read. He introduced me to Silas Marner and Jaws and a book that explains the possibility of Aliens being the Egyptian gods, and of the pyramids being creations of intelligent alien life. He was the one who encouraged me to always read the encyclopedia if there are things that I do not understand. I bet if we had internet then he will teach me how to google things up. He showed me what a real battery looks like inside. He even cut himself in the process.

He taught me how to count and budget my money. I remember one of his brilliant ideas: He used a panel of the wall as his coin bank. When the panel became full of 1peso coins he opened it and I was amazed to see hundreds of coins guching from the wall! He taught me how to count this way. He told me to pile up the coins by ten. Then he taught me to count by tens. When I got tired of that he taught me multiplication. He told me to stack the coins by ten then count the stacks. And multiply the number of stacks by ten. After counting his coins he gave me 100pesos of it and put it in a glass bottle. He said I can use it when we go to the zoo.

My other brother, Aboy, was the third in the brood. He taught me how to have fun. How to laugh. How to play. He would always make elastic guns for me. It was quite simple: He would get a piece of wood, tie a clothespin at the end; at the other end he would put a rubber band. He would ask me to fold pieces of paper to make “bullets”. I would use the gun with my toy soldiers or with cans and it really works.

This brother of mine can make games out of anything. I remember that he collects soda bottle caps. And what does he do? He lines them up like a platoons (of course all the Pepsi caps together and all the Coke caps together and so on). Then he gets three or so bottle caps each from both parties, shakes them in his hands and drops them. The bottle caps that land upturned will be eliminated. The platoon with the most survivors win! Imagine that waging a cola war without knowing it!

Both of them like playing silly games with us. Ting would collect all his bus tickets and tie them in a wad like money. Aboy would get his toy guns and we would play cops and robbers. I remember Kuya Aboy and I ran around two blocks to get away from the cops (Kuya Ting and my sister). It was fun. It was awesome.

Now I guess you can say that you know where I got my quirks. Well, you're right I got some of them from my dear brothers. I never tell them how much I appreciate them or that I love them. But they know it, I'm sure.

I will write again

I promised myself I will write at least from Monday to Friday so I can polish my writing. It has been a while since I last wrote something creative. Lately it has only been lessons, tests, reports, marketing collaterals but nothing literary.

I miss putting words together and making something out of nothing...

I miss painting with the sentences I put together...

I can't even compose a creative status on my facebook account...

I can't even think of words for this article...

I want to write again...and I will...