It’s only my third week as a part-time college instructor and I already feel drained — physically, emotionally and even mentally.

A couple of years back, I realized that my calling is indeed to become a teacher. I welcomed this fact warmly as I’ve been conducting trainings for adult audience for more than six (6) years already and enjoyed the job immensely. Two years ago, I decided to formalize my training in teaching and took up my Continuing Professional Education Course which required me to take eighteen (18) units of education subjects so I can take the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET).

Going back to school was fun and I have realized that I am addicted to lifelong learning, that I actually enjoy schooling and wanted to take it to the next level by getting into the academe as a college professor. I took the challenge and applied for the job after I became a board passed. I passed all the rudiments of applying for a teaching position like the dreaded “demo teaching” and panel interviews. I was very ecstatic when I was finally accepted and was given teaching loads.

more…

Popularity: 4% [?]

This news is alarming for me as a mom. All these time, I’ve always been thankful that although the A H1N1 already spread in the Philippines, the type that entered our country was the kind which can be treated easily. This fatality from Metro Manila due to a H1N1 is indeed bad, disturbing news.

Read the details from this clip from Inquirer.net:

MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE 2) A 49-year-old woman from Metro Manila with Influenza A(H1N1) has died, the Department of Health (DoH) said Monday.

However, Health Secretary Francisco Duque said it could not be immediately confirmed if the woman, who also had heart disease, died due to the A(H1N1) virus.

According to the woman’s autopsy report, she died of “congestive heart failure and acute myocardial infarction aggravated by pneumonia,” Duque said.

The woman was among 17 new cases of the disease, which brought to 445 the total number of people afflicted with the disease in the country, Duque said.
more…

Popularity: 16% [?]

My son, a grade one (1) elementary student, came home yesterday after school asking me if lola is sick of H1N1 after I told him “be good because lola is sick.” In the news, the video scandals of Hayden Kho and Katrina Halili is already replaced with news on H1N1 virus and today’s rally against the sensational issue on the railroaded Constitutional Assembly (ConAss) passage.

For the nation already frantic about the scare of the H1N1, good news to us all. The United Nation’s (UN) already came out with a comprehensive booklet discussing in full everything we need to know about the influenza virus called H1N1, otherwise known as Swine Flu. Here are the topics inside the booklet:

• What you need to know about preventing and diagnosing influenza
• Are you at risk?
• How do you catch influenza?
• How do you know you have influenza?
• How do you reduce your risk of contracting influenza?
• What you need to know in the event of a pandemic?
• How will the UN help you?
• What should you do to prepare?
• What is “social distancing?”
• How do you reduce the chances of spreading influenza?
• How do you care for yourself and others?
• What you should do if you perform a critical function?
• How do you reduce risk of exposure during transport to work?
• When should you stay home?
• What you should stockpile at home?
• What items should you stockpile to last six weeks?
• How should food items be stored?
• What medical items should be stored?
• What measures you should take if traveling?
• What should you do if you may have been exposed?
• Suggested hand hygiene techniques

more…

Popularity: 30% [?]

Unlike in the last weeks, the hype of the H1N1 Virus scare is now very eminent in the Philippines as the numbers of affected people in the country slowly but continuously grow.

The H1N1 is an influenza A virus subtype and is the most common cause of influenza or flu in humans. Some strains of this virus are common in human which actually includes the strain(s) responsible for the flu pandemic in 1918 which unfortunately killed about fifty to hundred million people worldwide (source: wikipedia). This fact plus the number of casualties of this year’s spread of H1N1 virus, also known as the swine flu, made the whole world panicky.

Although much has been done in the Philippines to avoid possible intrusion of the virus in the country, up to date, more than 20 identified virus carrier and infected has been identified and quarantined including the students from La Salle and an executive from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Here in our place in Marikina, everyday, there are rumors that there’s already an H1N1 carrier and sadly in the city and because of the scare, people get very worried about these hearsays.
more…

Popularity: 30% [?]

For some weeks now, I’ve been washing my face with just plain antibacterial body soap. Not because I am vain, it is because my preferred facial wash is already drained and I just don’t have the budget yet for these expensive skin care products.

I thought it would be okay, that the body soap would not do my face any harm, that was a fervent wish on my part. Unfortunately, my fear was realized as blemishes and acne one-by-one sprung on my face. After a week of plainly washing my face with a regular body soap, this what happened and I can blame no one but myself.
more…

Popularity: 28% [?]

The past two weeks was very tiring for me, work wise, career wise, and personal wise. It was a challenging week but I was very fortunate that I was armed with prayers and faith that I was able to surpass everything with a smile on my face.

I thought yesterday, after finishing all my household chores (which includes finishing a mountain of a week-long laundry), that I need to distress. Reward myself for undergoing and accomplishing so much in the past weeks. It’s time to unwind, a time for relaxation.

After enrolling my son (finally!), I asked my husband to go to the mall with me. He was hesitant at first because he planned of staying at home the whole day in the house but seeing my dire desire to go, he obliged. We watched the movie first, the one I’ve been dying to see since the its first showing day — Angels and Demons based from my favorite novel by Dan Brown. My husband tolerated my mumbling and chirping while the movie was shown. Since I liked the book so much, I can’t wait for my husband to finish the whole movie before I tell him how the series of events unfolded. I was very happy the movie was not disappointing which usually happens when a really good book is turned into a movie.
more…

Popularity: 25% [?]

The other day, I went to Malolos Bulacan to co-facilitate a teambuilding and values clarification program for a group of teachers. The venue was Malolos Resort, one of the most, if the not, the most popular resort in the area and it was located in the heart of the town.

The seminar was eventful.  It was again a learning experience not only for the participants but to us facilitators as well. The venue was okay, except for the fact that there are so many mosquitoes in our room and even in the training area. The food was okay too, not really delicious but filling and satisfying.

Since one of our participants came from Bulacan, she asked us if we want some “pasalubong” or presents to bring back home. She knows where we can order delicous “chicharon”(pig skin), a known food product of Bulacan. Since my family is sort of fat-lover judging from our love for chicharon and lechon, I ordered three big packages.

As expected, the chicharons were delicious and have not seen the light of the next day. I bought a package to the office and after eating some pieces of these pig skin with my officemates, I was startled by sudden dizziness. My friend said: “it’s probably high bloood pressure.” This means that because of the pig skin, my blood pressure soared up, not good at all.
more…

Popularity: 21% [?]

Have you and your family planned for the summer? In the last weeks, we experienced a really hot summer, one that shows you the manifestations of global warming in the Philippines. So it’s no wonder if you and your family plan summer trips to resorts.

My son is a water addict, swimming is indeed his fancy. He even loved television shows and movies shot under the sea, like sponge bob and recently, bubble carp which is shown every day at channel 5. Just this summer, we already went swimming more than five times and his super tanned body and face would show you how he enjoyed being in the water and under the sun so much.
more…

Popularity: 25% [?]

When our training team provided a career planning seminar a month ago, we have invited a presenter on employment trends who is a friend of mine also. during his talk, he told the attendees to start saving for the future and for getting old. He said at his age of just over forty, he already finished paying his and his family’s health plans as well as memorial plans he also secured in preparation for the reality of death.

I’m not sure if his talk affected the college graduates we catered to but his message surely hit me. At my age, I don’t have anything at all — educational pan, health plan, memorial plan, or any form of insurance. Nothing that would provide me assurance for the future. Nothing at all.

more…

Popularity: 26% [?]

Summer is already driving me crazy especially at night when it’s so hot! Every night, I wish I’m somewhere close to the beach so I can enjoy the summer heat but since I’m just home sweating, I am swearing against those people who ravaged our environment not minding the effects of global warming. Aaarrgghh!

Since last year, our family have decided to cut on energy cost since our Meralco bill is high for a meager income family like ours.  We have changed our bedroom with the one with woindows so we won’t need the service of our old airconditioning unit. The change suit as well since when the Ber month started last year up to February of 2009, the weather was cold and Baguio-like. I really enjoyed those times and missing it so much.

Unfortunately, when the summer began, the effect of global warming is indeed felt via the intolerable warmess of the weather. After a week of suffering from sleepless nights because of the burning sensation from the heat, I coerced my husband to go back to our old room with the airconditioning unit installed. I had to convince him hard because he’s the one paying the power bill. After some cooing, he then said okay and so we marched back to our old room to my delight.

more…

Popularity: 24% [?]