First Day at the Workshop

I'm  here at Tagaytay International Convention Center, Tagaytay City and it was the first day of our workshop wherein I am tasked to be a technical staff and a participant at the same time.  I have searched the place and I found out that there were so many amenities.  The dinosaurs were all over the place, the swimming pools were now all working as well.

The participants were late in checking in so I believe the sessions would start late.  Tsk.tsk.tsk.

One-Week Workshop on Editorial Skills

I have an scheduled workshop at Tagaytay City International Center this coming week.  Nah...I wont be going to talk but would act as technical assistant to various experts in the field of editing, book design, etc.  The title of the workshop will be "Basic Editorial Skills for Beginners".  Sounds redundant?  hehehe... Isn't basic stuff for beginners?  Anyway, some people from the DepEd Central Office will be attending this one-week activity.  Our guest speakers will be coming from University of the Philippines (UP), Intellectual Property Office (IPO), (Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF), etc.    I am wishing that another worthwhile endeavor, such as this, would be repeated in the near future.  Good luck to our speakers and to our participants as well.

I am so Lucky Today!

Wow! What a wonderful day it is.  DepEd - CO has its sports activities today and you know what?  Our team gets the coveted title - yup... we are the Champion.  In 7 events we got 6 first places including the cheer leading competition in which I joined.  To my disbelief (I thought that we lost in the cheer leading competition) our team was called to be the champ.  I was praying that God would grant my prayer that our team gets 3rd place at cheer leading category since it was enough to win the championship since Violet Team, our main rival, gets only 5th place.  So it is mathematically possible that we would still get the number one award.  However, God gifted us with the 1st prize on this category.  God is so good!  He really is.

So Happy for My Wife

King and Queen

I can't stop listening to my wife's challenging experiences on her first day of teaching at Jose Abad Santos High School as a new Values Education teacher.  I can't stop laughing at her, seemingly, fairy tale stories like how she looked at her students' room only to find out that her students left already and how one of her pupils took her envelope containing her original documents only to see it outside the room.  I could imagine vividly how her reactions were...fainted...giddy...woobly...

But that was part of the plot of a teacher.  I am so touched that she was able to conquer her fear and that first day gist was over.  Ohhh...you should see the reaction of my lovely child Betty on my wife's ordeal... she laughed and I laughed too not because I thought it was funny but because I can no longer see Betty's adorable eyes while laughing.


My enthusiasm to listen to my wife's stories was further intensified by her account that teachers at Abad Santos were allowed or, should I say, offered a condo unit loan.  Hopefully she'll get this once in a lifetime opportunity so that we can have a house of our own.

I am so happy for you mommy!

An Unforgettable day at Ace Water Spa

Sorry guys, I just came from a long vacation (again) so I had to post my activities late.  I, with my family, went to Ace Water Spa at Banawe, Quezon City, Philippines to unwind.  It cost us a lot but its worth it.  We enjoyed the world class facilities including the hydro-therapy massages.

The night before going to that venue (September 10) I suffered leg cramps and I thought I would die.  I was in a very difficult situation and the discomfort was getting worst.  It's good that my wife and my niece were there to help me.  Just when I thought the pain was over, I stood with haste only to be struck by deepening pain that started from my feet to both of my legs.  The feeling was terrible...had not my neighbor came to give me a much needed massage I would be dead. Thank you for the help.

That was the reason why my family went to Ace Spa wherein I have been treated to various amenities.  What a relief!

 

I found the missing document

Alas, the document that I have been searching for 2 weeks was found on the same folder where I kept it. 

Urgh...maybe it is a sign that I am getting older.  I just couldn't realize why I didn't double checked it in the first place. 

Another lesson learned.

Happy Christening to Eunice Kyle

Eunice Kyle with Ninong and Ninang

My family attended the very happy occasion of the Christening of Eunice Kyle Dacumos at Makati.  I was supposed to participate in the Barangay Wesley (BW) chess team elimination (try-out) at Robinsons Galleria, Manila but gave way to my wife's invitation to attend the special festivity of my brother-in-law's (Noel) daughter.  It was such a full-packed event attended by friends, relatives, family, and well-wishers.

Congratulations Eunice Kyle and welcome to the Christian world!

the pouring of water to Eunice Kyle

Mae, Eunice, and Noel 

cake for the soul

gifts for Eunice Kyle

What is Happening to Philippine Chess?

I got this news from facebook that my kababayan Rogelio Antonio, Jr. (he hails from Calapan, Oriental Mindoro) currently the ranked 2 player of the Philippine chess team was ousted from the team due to unknown (though there are varied conflicting reports) reasons.  Reading the items from the blog of Susan Polgar added some major controversies and problems.  If you read the comments you would probably judge what was happening.  Why did they (both parties) discuss it in public where in fact they could talk it privately to settle everything. 

Free Time

Yeheey!  I found this new activity during my free time.  I played chess tournament games at ChessCube even during wee hours.  I have been so effective during midnight too. I have beaten strong chess players and , would you believe it, some of them were accusing me of using chess programs to beat them.  Which is of course untrue.  That only means that I am improving in my game.

4-day vacation

It's a long weekend because on Monday (August 30) will be an official holiday.  During the first day, my wife and I went to a tripping to find our permanent residence, however, what we found were too expensive and not within our budget. 

We planned to go to Baguio City or somewhere else but we decided not to push through due to Helena's final review day of the MTAP,  Her education is much more important than our travel, you know.  I hope that she will be selected and be given an opportunity to be in the elite group. 

Hopefully, this afternoon or tomorrow we could go somewhere else to see different places and again experience our family bonding.  

Major Major Comments from Ms. Universe Candidate

I have been watching the Miss Universe beauty pageant and have been praying desperately that Miss Philippines would get the coveted title.  Guess what?  She got a pretty easy question from Mr. Baldwin.  But her major major answer seemed to be unusual for the judges.  You see, before going to the pageant she encountered problems on her documents, moreso, with her nationality issue which created problems (challenges) that almost caused her to being dislodged as a Philippine candidate to that prestigious event.  Isn't that a major issue? Perhaps, the judges perceived her answer, though unnatural, to be dishonest.

She had had all the chance to answer beautifully and indeed she bought time when she told one of the judges "thank you sir, blah...blah...blah...) but she blew it!

Missed opportunity for my bet.  Anyway, Ms. Raj is still young and in fact her answer is not that bad, however, in a pageant there are no wrong answers --- only good and better ones.

God is so Good

Yeheey!  I just claimed my brand new iPod nano 8gb as my prize yesterday.  I would like to thank Rexona and all its staff who are behind this promotion.  BTW, what I bought was a Rexona spray for men worth P150.00 but I got a prize worth P8,500.00 (check the price dude!)  I am so excited, and I can't hide it.  God is soooooooo good really! Here are the pictures of my latest winning...

Lucky Me!

Guys, you may not believe it!

I was on my way out at Watson's, after buying some vitamins and medical stuff,  located at SM San Lazaro Branch, Manila when, suddenly, I was blocked by this beautiful saleslady who offered me to buy Rexona products.  She was so inviting so I indulged to buy (sorry I forgot to ask her name).  I didn't know that there were some perks after buying that thing.

Here was the catch.  That saleslady made me stood about 4 steps from the cabinet purposely-prepared for Rexona's promo.  She instructed me to throw a ball at a 9-hole mold and I unintentionally made a shot at the right corner hole.  Then the saleslady shouted, "Oh man, you got the iPod!"  I shouted back "What?"  She handed me the ball I used then asked me to shoot again.  So I tried very hard to put the ball in the hole I shot earlier, but I missed. I got the lowest hole at the right corner instead.  I was told that I got a key chain.  I was waiting for further instructions when the saleslady, after searching at the room near the cashier's place, told me that her manager was not there so I could pick the iPod nano tomorrow (actually it is today).  She made me sign a receipt and asked me to return at 1 p.m.

I believe I am so blessed because God made me  a shot I didn't know what's at stake. Need I say more?