Classes Don't Get Easier...The Time Challenge

We've made it through two years of high school…only two more to go. There really is so much to expect in
junior year, and sometimes it can seem so overwhelming. If we think back to our sophomore or freshman year, we watched the Juniors run around like crazy at times. It's a fairly stressful year, so knowing what to expect in junior year means being able to plan ahead to make your way through it unscathed.

When I was a freshman, I was a little envious of those upperclassmen. They seemed so big, so mature, and cool, right? Now I'm one of them. Where did the time go? Now I'm part of the upper echelon. I'm an upperclassman! While this means I've grown up a bit and "rule the school," I also now have even more responsibility to those coming next. I can be the one to offer advice. It becomes easier to show your faith on campus by leading by example, and underclassmen look to you to set that example.

I never really expected junior life as it is right now. When I was still an underclassman, whenever I see upperclassmen chatting and running around crazy and all, all I can think of is that their life is easier than ours. But that image was destroyed. I never expected junior life to be so stressful. I always sleep late because of the mountain loads of homework. I'm always stressed out emotionally and physically. We're asked to make this blog related to our junior life experiences in our English life. But I would also like to describe junior life in general.

From the classical play Romeo and Juliet, I've surely learned a lot of things from that activity. We were asked to act it out and surprisingly all of us did a great job. But that wasn't enough.

We had a radio drama and the theme assigned to us is horror. That time, we had a hard time making the script since it's really hard to scare people nowadays. Our group worked together and we finished the script and was able to perform it well.

Then there goes the oration. To be honest, I was a bit happy when ma'am said that we're going to do an oration. Want to know why? It's because since I was in elementary level, I was always asked to memorize poems and stories for competitions so I missed that memorizing stuff. I think I didn't have a hard time memorizing the piece. We are asked to choose the theme of our piece. I choose sex because oration about sex is cool and I like the topic. Almost all of us were able to deliver the piece well.

The next activity is the speech choir. It was hard to do this activity especially when almost all of us is hyper when we are planning for this activity. But in the end, we did a great job and finished/delivered a great performance although we didn't get the highest grade in our batch, we're still happy that we were able to perform it.

I really don't know what jazz chant is all about until Vince explained what it would be like. Among us, Vince is the one who really worked hard for this activity making him earn extra points in our grade.

And lastly, our most successful activity, the conventional speech. We're not actually sure at first if we can deliver the whole piece since we've been stuck in the first stanza for two weeks already. But one of my classmates suggested that we should move on to the next stanzas and leave the first stanza for polishing. Jochelle, Rain, Me, Cydney and Laurice are the ones who contributed a great part in this activity. We planned and think on how we are all going to deliver this considering that we're classified according to the pitch of our voices. What we did is we taught them how to say it first and while the four of us, Rain, Jochelle, Cydney and Me, planned for the other stanzas, Laurice is the one managing the class. She makes sure that everyone participates and speaks whenever asked to. She is also the one who approves of the things that the four of us think of. This activity is by far our most successful one. And I'm happy to brag that we got the highest grade among the batch. When ma'am announced it, I was so overwhelmed that I cried a little. Because all of our hard works, all of the scoldings that we did was really worth it after all.

So that's basically the major activities that we have done for the English subject this year.  To sum it up, all of these activities are really stressful but once finished/accomplished every single drop of your sweat is worth it.

Junior year is by far the most stressful, most wild and most happy year in high school. Well I think all will agree that there's really just too much homework given to us to be done in one night! So I'm pretty sure that all of us stays up all night not just because of Facebook, but also because of the shit load homework and projects.

I've had the most wonderful experiences ever and it all happened this school year. I did my first classical play, I did my first jazz chant, my first radio drama, my first and last SSG campaign and lastly I've made a lot of friends this year. These experiences, I believe had molded me into a better person and makes me strive harder next time. I always want to do my best in everything that I will do so that I will be satisfied with the results.

A lot of my 'first' really happened this school year and I'm not regretting anything that I did since all of it was
worth it. I've made a lot of friends this year that will surely be one of the most unforgettable things in my high school life. Especially the friends I've made during the campaign for SSG. I never even thought that we would be so close to each other that every single day I miss the moments that we once shared. In a short period of time, we were able to build a strong and tight bond among us. We all trust and support each other through the toughest times. So really eventhough junior life is so stressful that it makes me want to pull all my hair off, on the contrary, it's also the best school year ever. And I just want to say ROCK 'N BALLS \m/

Please forgive me.

Bancaan Naic, Cavite

February 7, 2014

Dear Mom, 

          First of all, I want to thank you for everything you have done for me even though I'm always a pain in the ass and I somehow make our life a living hell.

          We've been through tough times and faced a lot of problems. All because of my wild and crazy behavior. I know that I shouldn't have acted like that especially towards you because all you ever did was care for me. All the things that you have done to me even though what you did was good, I always misinterpret it making my behavior towards you seem to becoming more and more rude. I want to apologize for all of the bad things I have done to you. If I were to count all the bad things I have done to you, I would expect it to be many. I have disrespected you a lot of times by talking back to you whenever I don't follow your orders. If I remember it right, I did rebelled to you a lot of times and eve threatened you that I won't be staying in our house anymore.

          If I would be given the chance to back in time, I would fix everything and I would treat you like every mother in this world should be. You were my first teacher, you taught and helped me in each and every step of my life as I grow older and older. You never failed to support me in everything I do. I really apologize for everything I have done to you.

Your daughter,

Jedine

The Book I Write

"Special is a word that is used to describe something one-of-a-kind like a hug, or a sunset, or a person who spreads love with a smile or kind gesture.

Special describes people who act from the heart and keep in mind the hearts of others.

Special applies to something that is admired and precious and which can never be replaced.

Special is the word that best describes you ."– Teri Fernandez

 I believe that each and everyone of us is special in our own little ways. We just hardly notice it. But when we do, we always tend to think that what we possess, others also have making us think and feel that we're a useless piece of shit.

It is believed that a person's uniqueness is what makes each and everyone of us special. But just how do ou define unique?

Uniqueness in a person is seen to be something about them that makes them different from everyone else. This person has their own style and approach to life, perhaps in the way they dress and speak, their personality traits and the way they carry themselves. It is really someone who is confident in their own skin and their chosen path and someone who knows what they want. Having confidence in yourself certainly makes you seem very special in most people’s eyes.

“Special” is a quality either realized or in potential state that can be seen in a person.

I may not have that white skin which I'm pretty sure what every Filipina wants. But I'm proud of my tan skin, I believe it shows who I really am and it differentiates me from other people in other countries.

I am not that tall. Yes, before I really wanted to be tall just for the sake of being like other tall models or celebrities. But as time flies by, I've learned to love and appreciate my height. I may not be that tall but I'm proud to have this height. You don't really need to be tall just to be noticed by others. All you have to do is be yourself and let everything fall into place.

I am definitely not that smart. Yes teachers keep on saying that if we're not smart, how come we're already third years in one of the best schools  in the Philippines? I'm not saying that I'm not smart. What I'm trying to point out is that I don't need to be so smart like those kind of people who ace their tests and have no difficulty in answering almost all of the teachers question. But I not brainless. I know in myself that I also have what others have maybe theirs is only up a little notch than mine.

I am not that kind. Honestly, I even consider myself as a bully. I tend to playfully criticize my classmates but there are times that I think I'm overdoing end and just end up hurting their feelings. I'm the kind of person which tends to mess everything up instead of fixing it. I'm selfish and a terrible person.

Once we see the wholeness or the greatness in us, this is the time when we realize that we truly are special. It's not always about specialness in the context of realizing that you are special. Sometimes all we need is to trust ourselves and admit that we are great in our own special ways. Everyone wants to change, but change demands desire and discipline before it becomes delightful. There is always the agony of choice before the promise of change.

“If you celebrate your differentness, the world will, too. It believes exactly what you tell it—through the words you use to describe yourself, the actions you take to care for yourself, and the choices you make to express yourself. Tell the world you are one-of-a-kind creation who came here to experience wonder and spread joy. Expect to be accommodated. (11)” 

― Victoria Moran, Lit From Within: Tending Your Soul For Lifelong Beauty

Prayer for my Parents

Dear God,

    Thank you for giving me this opportunity to thank you for all the blessings you’ve given me. Thank you for never failing to guide and protect me. And lastly, I want to thank you for giving me the parents that loves me and takes good care of me. For I believe that without you, we cannot do anything. With God, nothing is impossible.

     God, let this be a letter of appreciation from me to them. I may not be that vocal when it comes to thanking my parents but at least let this simple letter be a way to tell my parents how thankful I am to them.

     From the aloof little girl that I am, never even leaving my mother’s side anywhere she goes, to the stage when I slowly became more sociable and talkative, to the 10-year-old me that is so industrious even I couldn’t believe that I was that industrious back then, when I was in bullied back in my freshmen year to the present me; they never fail to support me.

     At this point in my life, I’m considered as a teenager that is open-minded. Yes, maybe sometimes I don’t completely act like it, but that’s part of life, right? As I’m growing up, I realize just how much my parents did for me. And, for that, I need to truly thank them – something I don’t think I’ve appropriately done to date.

     I know I’m not supposed to be choosing between my mom and dad but I really just couldn’t help it because it’s my mom who never left my side unlike my dad who left us when I was still 3 months old. But I’ll try my best not to make it a specific thank you letter.

     First of all, I want to tell them that I love them.

     I thank them for all the many, many happy memories. There is a lot of things I am grateful to them for. I just wanted to tell them how much they’ve meant to me as they’ve guided and loved me through my life. From very early on they taught me the importance of family, trust and love. They’ve taught me to value myself and to value others. They have taught me again and again to never give up and to follow my dreams. When I was sick or scared she would stay with me and pray with me. She taught me to laugh and to use my imagination. They shared their stories and always let me make up my own mind. They made every birthday and holiday perfect and special, just by bringing the family together.

     For loving me exactly the way am and telling me you’re proud of me. They have helped me become who I am through all the love and faith they have provided and all the amazing lessons they have taught.

     I have never felt a day where I was not loved by them. I have never lost sleep over wondering if they cared about me. I have never had a fleeting thought that they wouldn’t support me in my decisions, because they always tend to help me make them. I value their opinions, I respect their place in my life, and I thank them for all of it.

     Their hearts ache when mine does. Their smiles cover their faces when mine covers mine. Joy fills their hearts when they see that mine is full. They cry when I cry. They celebrate when I celebrate. That is what makes them great, world-class parents.

     They made mistakes along the way and that’s okay. They’re still only human. But quite frankly, they’re some of the best humans I’ve had the opportunity and privilege to know.

No matter what, I just wanted to thank them, and let them know that I love them and I thank you, God, for the amazing parents you have given me. You gave me the best parents in the world, though the imperfections, I still believe that I have the most wonderful parents.

I’m not trying to say they’ve yet raised the perfect woman and I probably haven’t always been the best daughter, but I want to just say thank you.

Thank you for all the things they’ve done. I simply cannot find enough words to say it.

“Thank you.”

Jedine

No Regrets. Love Your Life ♥

My life is a series of ups and downs, but whose isn't? Having regrets is already part of life. Everyone has made poor choices or done something in their past that could possibly be labeled as "regrettable." But, think about it. The fact that we are now able to look back and realize that a mistake that has occurred means we have learned a valuable lesson. Some of my choices may have landed me in unpleasant circumstances that made me want to give up life, but experiencing these things certainly built my current character. I wouldn't be where I am today if it weren't for those character-building situations. Mistakes are stepping stones to an evolving life.

Yes I myself have a lot of regrets. But as I'm searching for the reasons why I regret those things, I realized that I really shouldn't regret those decisions for they have molded me into this kind of person. Well here are some of the things I regretted:

BEING A LAZY BONES. I wasn't really a lazy bone back then. I started becoming one when I reached my junior year. My classmates influenced me a lot which is weird since I've never been influenced by my classmates this much. I learned to love being lazy because being lazy for me means you have nothing to worry about. Just sit back, relax ad enjoy the roller coaster of life.

BEING NOCTURNAL. Yes I consider myself as a night owl since I rarely sleep before midnight. It was a lot tiring at first but as time pass by, I got used to it and instead of it giving me a hard time, it actually helps me. Staying up all night helps me finish my work with ease. Why is that so? It's because I never get sleepy even if it's already past midnight allowing me to finish my works.

JOINING C.O.C.C.  I never actually even considered as one of my "regrettable" decisions but while I was making this blog entry, I just popped out of my mind so I decided to include it. I have to wake up a bit earlier than my usual waking time and I have to speed up everything. I am even becoming more and more industrious since I can't do my homework at the school because of the training.

I have so many regrettable moments that I am now starting to love instead of regretting it up until now. I am learning to accept everything about myself especially my flaws which I am learning to love more and more each day. I wouldn't be living this life if it weren't for those stupid things I've done. When you're happy and contented with your life, no amount of pain, suffering, fear and regret can ever beat this happiness.

I am now trying to live a life with no regrets. I have to choose the right path to my destiny carefully because once I've achieved this, I cannot really blame myself  for making the wrong choices. Because then, I can always say that I am following my passion that's why I've go nothing to be afraid of.

We don't have to live life full of regrets if we just learn to move on and accept these things. We should learn to cherish every moment of every opportunities. Because our outlook will determine the course of our life. We should all renew our life and enjoy living it in the present.

"Make the most of your regrets; never smother your sorrow, but tend and cherish it till it comes to have a separate and integral interest. To regret deeply is to live afresh."

- Henry David Thoreau

Technology makes people dumb.

"Texting is apocalyptic on some level. It's a reduction of things." -Nick Cave 

“OMG”, “LOL”, and “IMHO” aren’t just Internet jokes, but ways that people today are legitimately communicating with one another. With the speed of emails and texting, users have become increasingly impatient with full sentences, leading to “G2G” instead of “I’ve got to go now.” The ease of this language is easy to see. In the middle of a busy day, or if you’re sneaking in a quick message at stoplights, it’s far more convenient to fire off a couple of letters rather than worry about scripting and punctuating an entire sentence. But what does this convenience mean for the state of our language skills?

Texting, in its nature, shuns grammar. To get out a message as fast as possible, people will lose punctuation,
sentence structure, and capitalization. Run-ons are as common as fragments. For those with phones that auto-correct, even spelling can be ignored because the phone does all the work. While this shortened language allows users to type more quickly via text messages, instant messages and social networks, students are increasingly having trouble switching back to traditional grammar when necessary.

Using text language while texting doesn’t necessarily mean a person doesn’t know any better; it’s a language of convenience. But those who are still learning, or who become unable to separate it from other activities, create the danger. Texting is simple, casual, and tends to be vernacular – something that can be spoken on the street. When this gets applied to emails, schoolwork, and business situations, a problem arises. The casual tone of texting can be misconstrued, and is generally considered not very professional.

I've been using my phone since I was in elementary. It didn't really affect that much of my English fluency because I don't really like to shorten words or make them in "Jejemon style." Another reason is that I think my hobby of reading a lot of books helps me maintain my English fluency. I think texting even helps me improve my English fluency because I will always be cautious of my grammar and my use of punctuation marks. There are times when I'm too lazy to type a reply, I tend to shorten words. But I don't think I'm stupid enough to let those words diminish my knowledge and fluency in English grammar.

A WEEK THAT FELT LIKE A DAY

I am really thankful for the semestral break because the weight of all of my worries about homeworks and projects and a lot of school stuffs had been taken off my shoulders. I didn't want this semestral break to be as boring and as unproductive as I was when there was a long suspension of classes due to heavy rains. So I made a metal list of my to do things, plans and schedules for each day of the semestral break because I want to make every second of it count.

During the first few days of the semestral break, I slept in the am and woke up in the pm. My daily routine during the first few days of the semestral break was sleep in the am then woke up in the pm. Eat my brunch, take a bath, read a book or play badminton, change my clothes, eat my snacks, read a book or watch a movie, drink milk for dinner, brush my teeth, change my clothes, read a book or watch movies until I get sleepy. That's pretty much what I did so yeah, so much so for being "productive". 

Until one day I decided to break my routine because I was getting so bored. I still slept in the am but I also woke up early. I made my breakfast which is just me heating the hamburger that my aunt bought me and drinking milk. I also decided to take a bath early which surprises me and all the people in the house because I usually take a bath in the afternoon. I made some of my projects so I'll do less when the semestral break is almost over. I still read books and play badminton whenever I'm done doing my draft for my projects like the draft for my first blog.

I'm not sure if you're not suppose to have fun during All Saints Day but I sure did have fun. I woke up early and I was surprised to find myself that I was wearing a dress. Like seriously, I only wear dresses if I'm included in a wedding or whatever. So yeah I went to the cementery and I was surprised to see a lot of my service mates in the cementery. I went to some of my relative's tomb and offer a short prayer and a candle. I didn't get to visit my other relative's tomb because it is located on the upper part of the cementery. After visiting, we went straight home and watched some movies. I was thankful that I get to finish my first log and was able to post it.

The next few days I was doing my usual routine. But it's a bit different because I also scrolled through tumblr stalking people I don't know. I also watched some youtube videos. I also logged on to my twitter account to see what's the worldwide trend. When we went to the mall, I excused myself and went to my safe haven in the mall, National Bookstore and Fully Booked. I went to Fully Booked first since it's farther and enjoyed the serenity of the place while holding a book. I only stayed there for at least 10 minutes just to see if the book I was looking for there and mostly the rest of the 10 minutes was spent reading the summaries of some of the books that caught my attention. I did the same when I went in National Bookstore but this time I bought a book entitled "The Selection" by Kiera Cass. I wish I had bought the classics like "A Tale Of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens, "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Brontë or "Pride & Prejudice" by Jane Austen.

I really enjoyed the semestral break except for the fact that it should be longer because it literally felt like it was just a day. Wouldn't it be great if the semestral break lasted for at least 2 weeks because of the projects that can really drain the living soul out of your body.

L'amour

What is love? Many generations have already passed and as most of the people might have noticed, writers and poets have tried to define love for centuries. They've described love in many ways. Some think of love as a gift and a blessing to us. While some think of love as a burden in their lives. Some people don't even bother talking about or wondering about things related to love because it's just too complicated to think about.

Love is a special and complicated emotion which is quite difficult to understand. Although most people believe that love revolves around the heart, it actually occurs in the brain. Artists, poets and painters all epitomize the heart as the love symbol, but it’s the brain that generates chemical signals to make people understand love. There are different forms and styles of expressing love.

Whenever my friends ask me "have you ever been in love?" I always say "Uhhhh, no idea." To be honest, I really have no idea if I have been in love. But if I what I have experienced and felt before was love or at least somehow near the "love state" then love is like they say, the sweetest form of torture. Just hearing the word "love" makes me want to throw up. Love is so complicated because it makes you do things you never even thought you'll do. Whenever I see one of my friends looking like a zombie, I will end up telling my other friends that maybe she has a problem. We will end up calling her attention to talk with us. And it will always turn out that she was heartbroken or her crush is not paying her any attention anymore or there were no communication between. them. Seeing them this depressed just because of "love" makes me think that I shouldn't just bother with anything related to me having a crush then end up being so grumpy and sad all the time. But the thing is, you can't really stop the heart from loving. It's like standing out in the ocean and yelling at the waves to stop. Then there's the thing called "infatuation". This time I'm sure that I've been infatuated with a lot of guys.  But oh well, it's never going to be more than that.

Even though I'm not quite sure if I've been in love, I've experienced different kinds on how people express and feel the love they share for one another through books. 

There's the unconditional love. The type that gives you butterflies on your stomach . That whenever you receive a simple texts from him like "hi" or "good morning", makes your heart flutter. Or when he says he misses you, there's that immediate rush of blood in your cheeks and then you'll feel all giddy up inside. This love is selfless; it gives and expects nothing in return.

There's the friendship love. The type that makes you want to be friends with someone who you can really trust and who you can be yourself without needing to look good all the time. This type of love has give and take. It is a dispassionate virtuous love.

There's the affectionate love. The type that is fondness through familiarity, especially between family members or people who have otherwise found themselves together by chance. I think it is the most natural, emotive, and widely diffused of loves: natural in that it is present without coercion; emotive because it is the result of fondness due to familiarity; and most widely diffused because it pays the least attention to those characteristics deemed "valuable" or worthy of love and, as a result, is able to transcend most discriminating factors.

There's the romantic love. The type that  is a passionate and intense love that arouses romantic feelings; it is the kind that often triggers “high” feelings in a new relationship and makes you say, “I love him/her”. It is simply an emotional and sexual love. Although this romantic love is important in the beginning of a new relationship, it may not last unless it moves a notch higher because it focuses more on self instead of the other person. If the person “in love” does not feel good about their relationship anymore, they will stop loving their partner.

Love is the single most important emotion one can hold. Whether it's your love for God or your love for another it's the most powerful, overwhelming, incredible experience. Love is when he sees past your imperfections and learns to love them as time passes by. Love is when he takes you to walks by the beach to watch the sunset together while holding your hands in his in such a very protective and reassuring way. Love is seeing him laugh his brains out in the cutest way possible even if he thinks he has the most ridiculous laugh in the history of human laughs. Love is when he tells you that your beautiful in every way possible. It's when he's being playful and he'll suddenly cover your eyes with his calloused hands asking you who he is even though you could tell it's him by his hands, his breathing, his scent and his heartbeat that produces the most lovable rhythm. Love is when he finds you reading a book at midnight, crying to yourself and you look like a mess and he'll just hold you tight and ask you what happened in the story and without a doubt, he'll listen to you as you tell him the most tragic part of the book that you just read and he just nods in respond and listen even though he has no idea what you're talking about. Love is when he sends you cute messages like "I miss you :(" or "I love you <3" that just makes your heart flutter. Love is when he takes all the blame for what happened to you and says it's all his fault even though you know that it's not his fault and it's yours. Love is just really unexplainable and has different meanings to different people. But his existence defines it all.

I would love someone for his love and passion in everything he does. For his favorite books that

accompanies him whenever he can't sleep. For his light snoring in the morning and his laziness to get out of bed even though it's already noon. I'd love someone for his scent of coffee that you can smell whenever he cuddles you and whispers in your ears. The way he subconsciously frowns when he's too focused. Or the way he plays with your hair using that hands of his that is too calloused to be comforting but surprisingly cradles and caress you in most gentle way possible. I'd love someone for their imperfections that makes them completely perfect in every way possible. Wondering how such an imperfect person looks so flawless. I don't really look for anything in particular in anyone. I know there's supposed to be that long list of the things of your "perfect guy." But really, who cares as long as they look past your imperfections and love you just the way you are. Not asking for anything more of you. A man who is patient and respects my decisions. Who is understanding and don't rush into any conclusions whenever he sees me with another guy.

The moment when you realize that you are capable of loving someone else more than yourself is quite possibly the most important moment in your life. Loving someone and having them love you back is the most precious thing in the world. Some people are meant to fall in love with each other but not meant to be together. Love has a lot of things to offer. You need to make the right decision to make it last forever. You don't need to understand what love is. All you need to do is just feel it and let things flow. No matter how impossible, unattainable, or unimaginable it may seem. If it's meant to be, it'll be.

If You Can Read This, Thank Your Teacher

“Those who educate children well are more to be honored than they who produce them; for these only gave them life, those the art of living well.” 

― Aristotle

               When people talk about heroes, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Batman,
Superman, and the rest of the DC universe clan or maybe the Marvel's clan? I'm sure that many of you indeed are very familiar with these fictional characters. Ironically, we refer to these characters by calling them superheroes. Real heroes don't wear costumes and real heroes certainly aren't arrogant and most likely aren't from another planet. A hero can wear anything and they can be as simple as we are. To be a hero, you don't really need to have superpowers in order to help other people. We can be all heroes on our own way. But just like in television programs, superheroes are hard to find.

               Everyday, in every doors of each rooms we pass by, we see them teaching. Everyday, they give a better future on each kid sitting on the armchair, learning how beautiful life is. Every hour, we hear them talking, giving advices, on how to live and dream well. On how we should never give up and always believe in ourselves. They taught us to be a better person. They taught us the right direction, taught us what is right and what is wrong, gave us knowledge on what life is all about. Teachers play a very important role in the community as well as in our lives. Teachers are given the hard and important task to lead the younger generations for the future. They gave us their time, to learn and to develop emotionally, mentally and socially. Sometimes, when our parents are away, we can always run to their shoulders, and cry, ask for their ears to hear our voices. They molded us, through their loving and caring hands. Loved us like more than anything else. They helped us to be strong, strong like rocks and to stand up everytime we fall, and sometimes, when we stumble in our way to our dreams, they are there beside us, ready to lend their arms, to help us stand up and learn that life is not easy, not a fantasy instead a reality. Teachers are sort of wake up call, they make us realize that life is a game, sometimes you win and sometime you lose.

               Teachers are some of the most influential people around and given a very unique responsibility. They are here not only to teach us, but to care and love us. Because without their love and care, no one in this world would bother to teach us and no one among us will know how to develop healthily. Teachers are the backbone of our education system and without them our society would literally collapse. No one in this world would know how to read, to read others feelings towards us, how to write, to write the things we could not say and compute, to multiply the good things we did. Without them, we are nothing. Without them, we know nothing. Without them we will never be someone we aim to be. Because without them, our way to victory is dark and empty.

What Hatred has Halved

               In the great City of Athens, a man named Romeo is madly in love with Rosaline. But it seems that they are never meant to be together. Romeo's father, Oberon, sees him spending time alone in the woods. Oberon orders his servant, Puck, to give Romeo the magic potion made from a flower in the forest. Romeo fell asleep and Puck poured the magic potion to his eyelids. Oberon, wanting new love for Romeo, carries him to the ball aboard the ship. Romeo awakens and sees the lovely maiden, Juliet. Romeo fell in love faster than a lightning bolt. The two became really close to each other.

               While the people in the ball are enjoying their time, Oberon was found dead. The news spread quickly. Oberon was killed with a knife. The knife was given to Oberon's son. A wild tempest appeared out of nowhere. Everyone in the ball panicked. A thunderbolt struck the ship and the ship breaks in half. The passengers fell. When they regained consciousness, they discovered they were drifted to the shores of Athens. Romeo saw Oberon happy with his wife, Titana. Romeo got very confused because he saw with his own eyes the cold dead body of his father. He overhears the conversation of Oberon's men. They described Juliet as a whore. Angry, Romeo tells everyone about what he heard. Juliet was heartbroken. While walking, he encountered three witches who introduced themselves as Oberon's servants. They told Romeo the real story behind Oberon's death. Oberon has a twin brother. They were separated by a storm when they were still young. Oberon hated his twin brother because he thought he never searched for him. Oberon was killed by his twin brother, who happens to be king Hamlet's assasin, and his men. He was killed so he won't be able to stop the tempest. They also revealed the truth about Juliet. What Romeo heard was a lie. Romeo felt sorry for he truly loved Juliet. Guilty, Romeo apologizes to the Capulets. They told Romeo that Juliet died from a heart attack. The Capulets ordered Romeo to marry Juliet's cousin. Romeo accpeted it in guilt. On the day of the wedding, Oberon's men kidnapped Romeo. Seeing Oberon, He went berserk and broke free. He grabbed a guard's sword and raised it against Oberon. Romeo shouts "Impostor". Oberon draws his sword and they fought all out. It came to the point when Romeo was on his knees. Oberon throws Romeo's sword away. When Oberon was about to cut Romeo's head off Romeo grabbed the knife, the knife from his father's body, in his pocket and stabbed Oberon on the heart.

               Oberon's last words revealed that Titania was behind his father's death. After the dreadful incident the wedding resumed. Juliet's cousin revealed herself as Juliet. Titania lost her crown and was never to be seen again. Romeo and Juliet became the king and queen. They lived happily ever after.

Under the Covers

" Fair is foul, and foul is fair. Let’s fly away through the fog and filthy air. " - Three Witches, Macbeth

               This line is one of the famous lines in the play that Shakespeare has written, Macbeth. It's the story about a man named Macbeth who easily believes and does what other people tells him to do. He believes all the omens that the three witches gave him and did everything just to fulfill it. But what does this quote have in relation to the story?

                 On his entrance, Macbeth ironically echoes these words by saying, " So foul and fair a day I have not seen. " He is referring to the foul weather and the fair outcome of the battle. These both reinforce the influence that the witches have over the weather and Macbeth. All that is good, " fair " to others is evil, " foul " to them, and vice-versa. This applies to both the physical and the moral world; they revel in the "fog and filthy air," and in every sort of mischief and evil-doing from killing swine to entrapping human souls.

               So it boils down to "good is evil, evil is good.". The chant I believe, is the theme of the play Macbeth. I believe the entire play revolves around this chant. That may be the reason Shakespeare introduces this in the very beginning of the play. It simply means that whatever is fair to the common man is foul to the witches and to the people related to them. And whatever is foul to the common man is fair to them.

At Its Peak

               The story A Midsummer Night's Dream is truly one of the best comedy stories ever written in the history of mankind. Infused with magic, love's difficulty and dreams, the story started when Theseus, duke of Athens, is preparing for his marriage to Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons, with a four-day festival of entertainment. Egeus, an Athenian nobleman, marches into Theseus’s court with his daughter, Hermia, and two young men, Demetrius and Lysander. Egeus wishes Hermia to marry Demetrius (who loves Hermia), but Hermia is in love with Lysander and refuses to comply. Egeus asks for the full penalty of law to fall on Hermia’s head if she flouts her father’s will. Theseus gives Hermia until his wedding to consider her options, warning her that disobeying her father’s wishes could result in her being sent to a convent or even executed. Nonetheless, Hermia and Lysander plan to escape Athens the following night and marry in the house of Lysander’s aunt, some seven leagues distant from the city. They make their intentions known to Hermia’s friend Helena, who was once engaged to Demetrius and still loves him even though he jilted her after meeting Hermia. Hoping to regain his love, Helena tells Demetrius of the elopement that Hermia and Lysander have planned. At the appointed time, Demetrius stalks into the woods after his intended bride and her lover; Helena follows behind him. And the story goes on.

               But the question is, what is the real climax of the story? For me, the climax of the story happened on Act 2, Scene 2 after Hermia and Lysander sleep then Robin Goodfellow (Puck) enters thinking that Lysander was Demetrius since he was also wearing an Athenian clothes.
Here are the exact lines that Robin said upon seeing Lysander:

HERMIA and LYSANDER sleep. ROBIN enters.

ROBIN
I’ve been through the entire forest, but I haven’t found any Athenian man to use the flower on. (he sees LYSANDER and HERMIA) Wait a second, who’s this? He’s wearing Athenian clothes. This must be the guy who rejected the Athenian girl. And here’s the girl, sleeping soundly on the damp and dirty ground. Pretty girl! She shouldn’t lie near this rude and heartless man.(he puts flower juice on LYSANDER ’s eyelids) Jerk, I throw all the power of this magic charm on your eyes. When you wake up, let love keep you from going back to sleep. Wake up when I’m gone, because now I have to go to Oberon.

               Given the title A Midsummer Night’s Dream, it is no surprise that one of the main themes of the play is dreams, particularly as they relate to darkness and love. When morning comes, ending the magical night in the forest, the lovers begin to suspect that their experience in the woods was merely a dream. Theseus suggests as much to Hippolyta, who finds it strange that all the young lovers would have had the same dream. I personally enjoy the story because of the way that Shakespeare infused some lines with humors making laugh out loud. I also felt somewhat heart-broken when Lysander fell in-love with Helena because I really like Lysander's chemistry with Hermia.

The Knife of Never Letting Go

Mat 6:14-15 (NIV) "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But, if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."

              TO FORGIVE IS TO FORGET.  Bury the hatchet. Let bygones be bygones. Kiss and make up. We have so many ways of describing forgiveness—but so few strategies for actually achieving it.

               What is natural to "the flesh"  when we have been hurt or abused or insulted is to strike back, to plot revenge, or to simmer in bitterness. This is "only human". But God requires forgiveness, else He will NOT forgive us. If we are unwilling--or unable--to forgive, then there is no use asking God for what He has told us He will not give. For believers, dealing with the sin of unforgiveness is first priority. Forgiveness isn't easily given to a person. The inability to really forgive is often due to a false concept that "forgetting is forgiving". Forgetting is NOT forgiving. To be sure, if we forgive we will forget as a result. But the reverse is not true: forgetting is not forgiving--it is denial. For me, that person should show that he/she is really sorry for what they have done before I pardon them. If you easily forgive the sinner, they would think that it's okay for them to hurt you no matter how many times because you easily forgive them. That's what I always put to my mind when someone hurts me. Why denial? Because we can forget but we can't erase it completely from our memories cause it already had made a mark on our mind. We try to deny it when someone ask us about it.

               For instance, when you accidentally trip, you'll either have a scraped or bruised knee. You'll feel pain but it will only last for a few minutes. After some time, that bruise will fade and will leave no mark as if nothing happened. But if you get a knife and slash it in your arm, you'll feel intense pain that'l last until it heals. It does heal but it also leave a permanent scar with it. We should learn to choose our words carefully, as we can hurt, and mislead others. Words can't be taken back, once you give them away. Harsh words are like bullets: no matter what, they can still leave a painful injury. And sometimes, a sorry is not enough to heal the wounds you leave. The tongue is like a sharp knife, it kills without drawing blood.

A WUSSY GEEK OR A DUMB JOCK?

               ACADEMICS AND SPORTS. These two are most likely the quotidian things that's important to us, students. The stereo type of a dumb-jock might have some truth to it. A recent study by the NCAA in 2010 discovered that most division athletes spend more time on athletics than on their academic work. Although this is entirely true for college students, the reality is that it may be true for high school students as well. The fact that most athletes spend more time participating in sporting activities rather than focusing on their education may ultimately have a negative impact on their career.

               Although most student athletes never become professionals, they still spend excessive amounts of their time in sports rather than in academics. And I don't, for I still don't understand why you choose sports over academics. Okay I get it. You love playing sports and it's your passion and your tons better at it than in academics. So what? You only got better at it because you wanted to and you practiced long enough to be really good at it. If you can do all of that in sports, why can't you do it in studying? Nothing bad is going to happen right?

               If we teenagers talk about it, it all goes down to this "OMG! I freaking hate that subject and I barely understand anything!" or maybe " OMG! I just got a perfect score in our long test! I'm so happy!!!" Okay maybe not all teenagers say that especially the boys. Of course, we all know that they are more into sports than that of academics. But isn't that a bit unfair for the geeks? I mean I know that they're smart and all that stuff but they try to be at the top of their game when it comes to sports right? While those jocks who act all cool and stuff doesn't even give a f*ck about their grades (pardon me if I say some bad words). Nobody is born with such talents that instant. I believe that it gradually develops as we grow older. And for those people who are good with academics, I suggest you at least try to teach your classmates who are having difficulties. I may not be that smart but I'm not afraid to ask questions to either my teacher or my classmates as long as I know that if I ask this question, I will understand every subject well enough to have a good grade. Don't get me wrong. I do love sports especially those sports that requires your whole body to move. Why? Because not only I do sports for fun, but I also do it to keep my muscles strong and flexible.

               If I were to be born in this world again and be asked to choose whether to be a wussy geek or a dumb jock, I would most likely pick to be a wussy geek. Why? Because it's easier for a geek to be a sporty person than get a lazy and hard-headed jock to be an academically excellent person. But most importantly, we need not be these kind of persons because God has already planned our destiny. And we must be eager and patient to know what lies ahead of us.

ALL FOR ONE, ONE FOR ALL

This is my desire to honor you

Lord with all my heart I worship you

All I have within me, I give you praise

All that I adore is in you

Lord, I humbly come into your presence

And may you listen to my every prayer

For I have been bothered by the calamities

That has affected the lives of many people

I have been experiencing some sleepless nights

Knowing that things ain't right

It's in the papers and it's also on the TV

And I can hear people talking about it almost everywhere I go

Children are crying, some people don't have a home

But I know that you will do anything in your power

That may help these people affected by the typhoon

And may these experience help them become stronger

I pray for peace for all the people affected by the typhoon

May they find peace with the people they meet

And lead them not into engaging in fights

But to help each other to have a better life

May you comfort the children with your everlasting love

Lord, may you give them enough wisdom

For them to think through all their problems

And come up with a solution

Enlightenment for those people who have doubts

Doubts, in the government's help and their own capabilities

Help them to understand that everything happens for a reason

And that it can make them a better and a stronger individual

We need to make an effort to keep the unity of the spirit

How beautiful and pleasant it is

When brothers live together in unity

For the presence of God is the source of all blessings

God, I know that you know what is happening

For you are the Almighty and Everlasting God

So I ask you to please help our country

To rise back to its former glory

In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.

BAD GRAMARS MAKIN ME [SIC]

ORIGINAL TEXT:

Ganito Ka Rin Ba Mag-ENGLISH?

(To whoever gets to understand this letter, CONGRATULATIONS!)

The following is a letter found at a certain bar in Manila and has been preserved in its original, unedited form. Enjoy reading and may you try direct translation in Tagalog. Pls. read with feelings . . . 

     October 1996
To Marjie,
I am not surprise or wander why Dennis leave you why? What reason can you think about but you're very fat body. I thought before that Dennis only use me to his toy but sooner and later I'm realize that he really can't not beared or stomached to be with you anymore because at first, Dennis say he could not stand you're habit of making pakialam all his walks (lakad) and always calling to their house what he go home or this or that.

And then he say he get ashame to me either in school or in his family and then asking you to exercise you're very very, very fat body. But you hate it. Thought you're the most preetiest girls he knows about. What do you think you are "BeautifulGirl" of Jose Mari Chan?

Even you are beautiful face (to your think) you do not have the right to called me whatsoever or else difference name one time or the other for the real purposed to insults my personality because I'm never call you names either in the front of Dennis or in the backs of Dennis, but if you start already to calling me different name, I don't have any other choice but to call you other different name to. Like you are a PIG, FAT, OBESSED, OVERWIGHT, AND UGLY SHAPE girl. Shame to you're body that is to a BUDING.

You can't not blame Dennis for exchanging you to me because I am the more sexier that you when you look to us in the mirror. I'm repeat again that you are like Ike Lozada when she is a girl.

Love,
The sexiest Girl of D.M.

P.S.
You say that I'm the bad breathe but who is Dennis want to kissed. Me or you? And the final is me. There you go.

REVISED TEXT:

Ganito Ka Rin Ba Mag-ENGLISH?

(To whoever gets to understand this letter, CONGRATULATIONS!)

The following is a letter found at a certain bar in Manila and has been preserved in its original, unedited form. Enjoy reading and may you try direct translation in Tagalog. Please read with feelings.

October 1996        

                          To Marjie,

                                    I am neither surprised nor wondered why Dennis leave you. Why? because of your fat body. Before, I thought that Dennis use me as his toy,later, I realized that he can't bear to be with you anymore. First, Dennis says that he couldn't stand your habit of meddling with what he is doing with his life and phoning him whenever he's at home.

                                   He told me he is ashamed to be with you in school or in front of his family. He is also asking you to exercise and lose some weight. You think you're the prettiest girl he knows. Who do you think you are, Jose Mari Chan's " Beautiful Girl " ?
                                  Even if you 'think' you're beautiful, you don't have the right to call me names. Because I never call you names whether Dennis' back is turned or not. But if you do call me by such names, I have no other choice but to do the same. I'll call you names such as pig, fat, obese, overweight, and poorly-shaped girl. Shame on you for being such a fat-ass.
                                 You can't blame Dennis for choosing me over you because I have the sexier body. I repeat, you look just like Lozada when he was a girl.

Love,                            

The sexiest Girl of D.M.

P.S.

    You say that I have a bad breath, but who did Dennis want to kiss? me or you? Me.

REACTION:

 To be honest, I really had a hard time translating the letter. I also had a hard time typing the original text because I tend to laugh at every paragraph. Words can't describe how poor her English grammar was. I mean I usually ignore this kind of stuff especially when it has a bad grammar. I just can't stand those people who think that they're so great but turns out to be, they're not. She doesn't think first before she says something. I'm neither a grammar nazi nor really good at grammar, but at least I try to make my grammar as understandable as possible. 

"The tongue has no bones, but it is strong enough to break a heart. So be careful with your words. "

Writing Informal Themes. IT'S MORE FUN IN CAVSCI!!!

“Don’t focus on having a great blog. Focus on producing a blog that’s great for your readers.”- Brian Clark

                    “Blogs are whatever we make them. Defining ‘Blog’ is a fool’s errand.”- Michael Conniff. First of all, I think you can point out how I feel about writing our informal themes. Personally, I think doing our informal theme with the help of computers is a big step up and a big help for us students. For me, I don't just write informal themes just because it's a requirement for us. It's like writing is another outlet for me to express what I feel and how I feel about the things going around and how I can actually relate my experiences in life to my blogs. 

                    I like doing our informal themes in blogger because I personally like doing blogs like what I do on Tumblr. You can just lie down on your bed, get your laptop and start blogging. It's easier to express what I really feel because I can just play a tons of music and get inspiration from the lyrics. I can also browse the books that I have for some useful quotes. I can easily express myself because here, they can't see me while I'm doing this. I live by the beach and sometimes I take a walk and look at the children playing in the sand or at the sunset just trying to look for an inspiration. But there are also some disadvantages that affects me while doing my informal theme. There are times that I look in my Facebook account not knowing I spend too much time on it rather than spend time finishing my blog. I also get lazy at times and just leave blogging for the next day until it's nearly the submission time. I also like doing blogs instead of writing because I know that I suck in cursive writing. 

                   But the point  here is that I really do enjoy blogging and using blogger as our informal theme. I may not be as good as the other bloggers out there. But as long as I can express myself through these simple words, I think I'm good with that already. "Words have no power to impress the mind without the exquisite horror of their reality."- Edgar Allan Poe.

Carpe Diem

                         Carpe diem means to seize the day. I started liking and using this phrase since I learned it. Why is that so? Because for me, it is important to live your life to the fullest and trying out new things instead of wasting your time doing nothing.

                         It all started when my parents asked me to go to the United States for a vacation. When I overheard my mom and dad talking on the phone, I heard them talking about my flight to U.S. At first, when I hadn't thought through it, I started hating my parents that time. And I had this thought in my head. "Why go there if I'm just going to live with my dad? I'd rather stay here than spend a month with him". There was a time when I shouted at my mom for making me go there even if I don't want to. But deep inside me, I know that there is nothing I could do to stop this from happening. And the last thing I know, I was at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport waiting for my plane. It's really hard for me to say goodbye to my mom, especially because I grew up with her always by my side. Because I never experienced growing up with my dad around. He left us when I was still about 1 1/2 month old. Even though I didn't really cried in front of my mom, deep inside, it feels like my heart's been crushed into million pieces. Seeing her face like she had lost everything, I couldn't help myself in thinking that it's all my fault. 

                         When we were asked to board the plane, I instantly took my cellphone out and called my mom to say our last goodbyes. Hours passed and I wake up to the sound of the stewardess that we are to be discharged in the Vancouver Airport for the plane is to be refueled. When we got back the plane, I immediately slept out of boredom. The next thing I knew, we arrived at the McCaran Airport. I was assisted by a worker because I'm still a minor travelling without a companion. It took us a few hours to finish arranging the documents. After that, I went out of the immigration area and found my dad waiting for me. When he saw me, he immediately hugged me and I hugged him back in a very awkward manner. My stay in Las Vegas was fun especially when I get to try out some new stuff like their food and seeing a lot of people roaming around the streets. I stayed in Las Vegas for about 3 days before we went to Los Angeles.

                         I stayed there long enough for my cousins to tour me around Los Angeles. And I must admit that it really was fun doing those stuff. Even though I'm hesitant to go with them the first time. That's when I realized that I had to apply the phrase Carpe Diem. From then on, I started to like exploring new stuffs that's unfamiliar to me. I also went to San Francisco to visit my cousins on my mother side. When I arrived, they were all surprised because I've gotten so much bigger. In my stay there, I learned to be more responsible and to be more helpful. I get to experience a lot of things that I haven't done in my life. Like fishing. We also went to see the Golden Gate Bridge. And when I first saw it, I was really amazed by its beauty. For me, it's pretty because of its design. I love architectural stuffs especially when I saw those in person. My most memorable moment there was when I first experienced trick-or-treating with my cousins. I've never experienced doing that even as a kid because we don't do that here in the Philippines. I even wore a Super Mario costume and it was really fun dressing up and knocking on their doors asking for candy. When we finished trick-or-treating, we counted our candies but didn't really finished counting because we kept on eating each candy that we grab from our loot.

                         When I got back to Los Angeles, during the month of December, we went to a place where it is snowing. It's my first time seeing real snow and get the chance to touch it. When we'd arrived, I was amazed because it really is my first time seeing snow. I call the place "Winter wonderland". My cousins and I went to mountain high to try snowboarding. We also played sled with my younger cousins. And I must say that I keep on falling from the sled and end up sliding down the hill with my butt as the sled. I really had lots of fun during my stay there.

                         When I was leaving America to return back here, I learned a lot of new things. Especially when it's about trying to cope up with my dad. Also with me that day is not just things I intend to give my mom. It's the experience and memories that I will surely cherish for a lifetime. 

Make Every Second Count

          " To be, or not to be: that is the question: " This is probably the most famous speech in the English language and it is spoken by Hamlet in Act III, Scene I. This quotation may also mean " Now or Never " or " Take it or Leave it ". As a student, I can definitely say that this quotation happens everyday. So here's how it works.

     First example. Whenever there's a new topic being discussed or a topic being re-discussed our teacher never forgets to ask us if there are any questions. Well honestly, there are times that I still get confused with that lesson, especially when it's math or geom, and I don't raise my hand. Actually I never, ever raise my hand whenever I can't understand the lesson. I just don't really feel like raising my hand. And that's one thing I regret. Second example. Our teacher is asking us questions about that topic and I feel like I know the answer but don't raise my hand. And when one of my classmates say the answer that's in my head, and it's correct, I always feel stupid. Why? Because I know the answer and didn't even raise my hand. I can definitely agree when our teacher says " There's no harm in trying ". And I really regret those moments. 

     Even if you're not a student, you can still relate the things that's happening in your life to the quotation. If there's something that's stopping us from succeeding or finishing the task, just always remember, make every second count. Because opportunity knocks only once. Do not waste your time doing useless things. And if there are times that we think we can't do it anymore and we lost hope, just pray to God. Because with Him, nothing is impossible.

English Lessons 101

Perfect Sense
by: Jezreel Nadine C. Guce

Going back to square one
All I could remember is that we didn't have much fun
'Cause our teacher got disappointed
When we can't remember the topic predated

As my mind tried to catch up
I feel like my mind is gonna blowup
So many functions of each type of verbal
I feel like it's gonna take life eternal

To memorize all the functions with great mastery
And understanding each clearly
Will surely be
A great achievement for me

Idiomatic expressions
They sometimes sound different and gives me different impressions
If it's the literal meaning
Or maybe the figurative meaning

William Shakespeare
A very talented author and actor that the readers endear
Expresses his thoughts through writing
And I find his works very addicting

The tragic love story of Romeo and Juliet
And the feud between the Montague and the Capulet
 A masterpiece of the great William Shakespeare
That everyone will surely endear

Our group was tasked to re-enact the classical play
As we tried to memorize the original text all day
We re-enacted the scene in the balcony
But I feel like it ended up as a travesty

The adventurous seagull who is brave enough  to open his eyes
Who learned many things as he flies
Let himself wander and explore the world
To live his life to the fullest is what he told