TODAY

Family tribute

2011-10-14T20:43:00.000+08:00

This is my tribute to my parents and the family they created.

These are pictures from a family album, which was damaged due to moisture. What I did was just retake the pix and then made a video about it.

My parents were married more than 60 years ago.

Father passed away due to heart failure when I was in College leaving behind my mother.

Included in the video are my brothers and sisters, and their family.

Our Sportage

2011-09-26T17:48:00.001+08:00

Got a KIA Sportage, practiced driving and backed it to a mango tree.
Tried to make the dent look normal now it has bumps.

Felt guilty because my husband bought it for the family but what can I do!
I need to learn to drive.

With the car, I was able to bring my daughter to the hospital.
We also went to the beach for a swim.
Drove under extreme rain.
Went to a grocery.
Took it to the market.

Argue with my brother, who has been patient with me.
Accompanies me when I want to take the car for a spin.

Even with the dent, I love driving the car and taking my kids to joy rides.

But I will not dare drive it with my husband as passenger.
I will let him drive otherwise, we will just argue over my driving style.

Zip Wire Certified

2011-04-19T00:43:00.115+08:00

(Courtesy of Engr. Virginia Dela Cerna)

On April 17, 2011, STI College Cebu employees decided to bond and enjoy the weekend by going somewhere affordable and doing something adventurous.

Papa Kits Marine and Fishing Lagoon in Liloan, Cebu fits the adventurously affordable criteria for a week-end get away.

Papa Kits has been featured in the ABS-CBN Regional Network show "Maayung Buntag Kapamilya" and in the Freeman, a local newspaper, as a place expected to boost tourism in Liloan.

(from http://www.facebook.com/pages/Papa-Kits-Marina-and-Fishing-Lagoon)

There are a variety of activities that the visitors would surely enjoy like the horse back riding, biking, hiking, swimming, bird watching, fishing and the favorite 800 meters zip-line. The zip-line is the main attraction in the marina and fishing lagoon. You can tell that it is the favored activity due to the long queue of zippers of all ages.

Wikipedia.org described a zip-line, also known as zip wire, to consist of a pulley suspended on a cable mounted on an incline, designed to enable a user propelled by gravity to traverse from the top to the bottom of the inclined cable, usually made of stainless steel, by holding on or attaching to the freely moving pulley. Zip-line tours are becoming popular vacation activities, found at outdoor adventure camps or upscale resorts, where they may be an element on a larger challenge or ropes course.

Zipping seems so easy to others but not to me. I am an enthusiastic adventurer but I am also apprehensive. It is actually a challenge I posed to myself when I asked my daughter whether she would like to go with me to Papa Kits and take the zip-line challenge.

When we reached the venue, and saw the height of the tower from the ground where I stood, then heard the shout from the zippers as they traversed from the top to the bottom of the inclined cable, my fear almost got the better of me. However, seeing the long queue of eager zip liners and the look of excitement from daughter's face, I was motivated to go ahead.

(Ma'am She and Ma'am Gemma)

My office mates were very courageous and eager to zip the 800 meters line designed to pass through a body of water over the Silot Bay (which has story of its own).

In my case, I was a bundle of nerves and wanted to back out. When it was time for the safety harness to be put around me, the assistant stared hard at me first, not because he likes what he saw (LOL), but because, he must have seen the fear from within. Maybe I was so pale, but assured him I am all set and ready to go. I have not noticed if I was really pale though, must be the "sunscreen", I did not see any mirror on the site.

As I climbed the tower, I was not able to fully appreciate the view (darn this fear of heights thing), I concentrated on taking one step at a time until I reached the top.

Then I felt my heart beating so fast, just like how you feel when you are nervous, then the butterflies in my stomach start to flutter. I saw the breathtaking view from the top. The glide or drop (whatever) point is high. Bea (my daughter) informed me that the sign says 6-stories high then I realized I wanted to go back down. My daughter posed the challenge on me this time, that my companion did it, then so can I.

The group before my team was having second thoughts but was encouraged by her friends. I asked Bea if she likes to go tandem, but she wants to go solo. Imagine that! She is fearless while I was a bunch of nerves! My office mate, provided encouraging words so I can go on. Then I looked back and behind me was another mom with her young companion, smiling so wide and so eager to try the zip line. She silently motivated me to face my fears. Aside from that, the line on the stairs is getting longer. So I gave myself a pep talk "OK! Just close your eyes and then open it one by one when you reached the middle."

There is no backing down now! The man in-charge of the line called for me. He must be tired, imagine I am zip liner number 168. He and his companions were propelling zippers the whole day! But they were patient with the adventurers. He checked my harness, told me to put my weight on my harness and hang my feet on air and then he said "READY! GO!".

So I closed my eyes as I was released, opened it again in the middle of the line over waters, prayed hard for safety and zipped 400 meters down the line across Silot bay. Then zipped back another 400 meters to get to where I came from.

It was one thrilling adventure and will do it again, if my heart does not fail me (LOL).

The pictures above are courtesy of Engr. Virginia Dela Cerna and those pictures are of my office mates.

But they can certify.
I zipped!

And my zip line memories are those which are left in my memory.

There are lessons I learned at the top of the propel point and during the whole process, that are useful to attain success.

1. A solemn prayer, a strangers' smile, some silent motivation, and a nod are gestures of encouragement that must be appreciated.

2. Conquering fears is a matter of choice.

3. There are choices available, just like in life:

a. you can choose to stay put and wait;

b. you can choose to turn back;

c. you can choose to accept the challenge head on;

d. you can choose to face the challenge solo; and,

e. you can choose to face the challenge with a friend.

4. Do not pose a challenge, if you can not do the challenge yourself.

5. 3Ps of attaining success: Prayers, Patience and Perseverance.

At that time, I also realized that my daughter has her own wisdom. She can give her support and encouragement and will be there for me. Yet she also wants to be independent and decide for herself.

She made her choice as I did. We zipped!

WOMEN'S MONTH

2011-03-11T16:06:00.041+08:00

What's the buzz for March?

I was watching TV one night and I saw women sharing their achievements and passion in life, then at the end of their spiel, a video showed that March celebrates the women.

Right, women of different backgrounds, race and color are given due tribute on March though it does not need to be celebrated once a year, yet the focal of the celebration for women is this month, just like the fire prevention, which is also celebrated this month.

So why the comparison? Because women ignites fire of passion. The passion to excel, to achieve and to be the best at any time.

Women are known to be behind the success and failure of men. That is why the story is not all about history but also her story.

And this are their stories:

From the BOOKS

Eve, the temptress. The woman behind the failure of a man. She is supposed to take care of Adam and together they act as stewards of His creation. She maybe flawless in beauty but not in character. She is easily tempted by materialism and power, which she does not really posses. A lot of Eves roam around the earth to create chaos. Very beautiful being who is full of conceit and selfishness, living freely and wreaking havoc in families, in society and in offices. She is either the naive temptress or the intellectual bully.

Mary, the mother of Christ. The model of motherhood, the selfless and the woman inviolate according to the Bible. She represents the essence of a woman in the old century.

Maria Clara, the Filipina of "Noli Me Tangere" during the Spanish era. In the book she was violated a lot of times to the point that she lost all hope and her sanity. She represents how violated the Philippines was under the rule of the colonial tyrants.

FROM PHILIPPINE HISTORY/HER STORY

Gabriela Silang(1763), the Joan of Arc of Ilocandia, Philippines. A Filipina hero who fought against the Spanish regime in her hometown, Vigan, Ilocos. Silang astride a prancing horse led the march towards Vigan to encourage her warriors, some of Itneg origin, to fight fiercely. She was later on captured and was publicly hanged on September 20, 1763. She died for her people's freedom.

Josefa Llanes Escoda(1945), A Filipina advocate of women's right of suffrage and founder of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines. She had the opportunity to be granted a scholarship in the United States during the US occupation in the Philippines. Being one of the Filipinas who resisted the Japanese in occupying the Philippines that she was imprisoned with her husband. She was last seen on January 6, 1945 and believed to be executed.

Women of substance have graced this planet for centuries some of them are well-known while some have become unsung heroes who served their country for their family.

IN MY LIFE

Alodia, an unknown woman. She has raised eight kids by accepting outsourced sewing jobs. Whatever amount she has raised is used to support her family. She married at a young age and tries hard to keep the family together. She is my idol and she is my mother.
Emerenciana, another unknown woman. Helped raise a family by having her own buy and sell business. The better half of the man who has established the clan that I joined by affinity. A clan whose last names are related to another Filipino hero.

These women are gifts to me and they have something in common. They are both known only to the people in their sphere of influence and are both trying to survive and still contribute to the community. Both became widow and have not met but they made a very important contribution in my life.

In our daily lives, we come across women who created a profound impact. Their stories and experiences provide an insight on how life is lived and should be lived.

It is up to the observer (us) to make the right choice to live the life that we want to live.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

2011-03-04T17:00:00.000+08:00

Another year is added to your years in this world...So celebrate like no other...

Just do not forget that even though we are not with you we are thinking of you.

Times have passed and you are still you...
bringing joy with your inner glow...

May each birthday be better for you.

Birthdays are not measured by the number of visitors, the cheers, the layers of icing and the number of candles on your cake or the number of songs you heard but on the blessings you received each day.

May you be more prosperous, healthy and successful every year.

Thank God that we have you!

VALENTINE

2011-02-14T14:31:00.000+08:00

SINULOG - Muses

2011-01-29T11:28:00.001+08:00

Cebu's Sinulog is a grand event celebrating the feast of the Sto. Nino. Aside from the procession and the street dance, there are muses that evoke inspiration for the participants to watch and appreciate the activities.

This segment of my Sinulog coverage highlights the muses and the queens during the activity.

The muses are wearing costumes that renders their appreciation for the culture and the arts presented. They serve as inspiration to the throng of on-lookers and most of all to their troupe who dances with the queen all day long during the event.

The pictures below show the muses from the different tribes and presenters during the Sinulog festivities. Of the 100 participating tribes, I was only able to take pictures when I personally watched live the carousel and only after I was able to pass through the thick crowd on the streets and passed through the street guards.

SINULOG - Carousel

2011-01-22T17:20:00.000+08:00

I posted last time about the Sinulog and the devotion to the Sto. Nino. This time I am posting the display of colors during the carousel.

It is a carousel because the dancers would start and end at the same place. Dancing is performed on the streets in Cebu City, Philippines to the Sinulog beat for the duration of the event until they

reach the complex where performance is heightened at the complex where judges would see the choreography and the full presentation of the Sinulog based or Free interpretation of the participants.

I usually watch the Sinulog on TV then decide whether to go out and watch the pageantry and the graceful dancers live on the streets dance to the beat.

SINULOG - PROCESSION

2011-01-18T20:37:00.000+08:00

Man and Sto. Nino

This grand festival in Cebu has millions of devotees, viewers and spectators from all walks of life. The religious activities start with a novena at the Basilica De Sto. Nino. The rites are truly essential to the celebration of the activity so that the participants would be able to understand how the Sinulog started.

I had the opportunity to witness the procession and was able to get pictures of the devotees and the Sto. Nino. It was raining hard during the procession yet the participants gathered their strength,

opened their umbrella and walked on. The Sto. Nino, in different garb, sizes and colors, are hugged close to the devotees heart. The procession winds through the streets in Cebu under the rain and overflowing canals. The power of faith fires the devotees to complete the procession.

The devotion to the Sto. Nino is very intense for the Cebuanos. Every third Sunday of January, the province is abuzz with the activities, where the faithful converges at the Basilica del Sto. Nino and offer thanksgiving, light a candle, say their prayers and dance praise.

Basilica Del Sto.Nino Pilgrim Center

The throng of people raised their hands, praised and worship. For centuries stories of faith have been told and has continued to the current electronic gadget prolific age. The devotion is timeless and the motivation to come back to visit the icon in his altar inside the Basilica is ingrained in the mind and heart of a Cebuano. The praising, the worship and the devotion to the Sto. Nino is part of the culture and history that makes Cebu what it is today.

TECHNO FLAW

2011-01-07T13:51:00.003+08:00

I retrieved the attendance data this morning from our company's "BIOMETRICS" since today is the cut off date of the workdays covered for the payroll preparation.
I was all set to verify the attendance from the data in my flash drive. so I went to my work station and "voila" my flash drive has no more files in it. All my pictures, documents, excel files and most of all, the attendance are gone! A virus just invaded my flash drive and hid my files. This is bad, really bad...how can I get out of this situation?

Oh my! No employer would be happy with this while employees would have mixed reactions. All late comers will be elated, no deduction for today's tardiness! No way! The most important file I need right now are the attendance data.

I asked assistance from our Laboratory facilitator, who told me that the files will be recovered if we use a file recovery software. So we did and finally the files I needed were recovered but unfortunately we can't save the files since the software needs a product key. Oh... oh.. I thought the software was free.

Since the files I need are seen on the monitor, I copied the data manually. Good thing I downloaded the attendance for the other days and its in my Gmail box.

So thanks to the new technology, I recovered the lost files. I know who were tardy and who forgot to log-out.

Technology has helped us to perform our task conveniently and efficiently however, technological flaws also abound, even with the constant upgrade and innovation. Man has designed and has crafted the technology for us to be more productive but it is also man who has created the virus that can delete or hid our files. Really, those which are man made are full of flaws! Are technological flaws part of the economics of technology? After all, these viruses have helped sell anti-virus software. Recovery software has also helped recover hidden or deleted files.

A question I ask myself, would I be willing to go back to the manual way of doing things? Not really. As an office worker, I really appreciate the innovation and the productivity brought about by these gadgets.

This link http://news.techdna.co.uk/2010/01/secure-flash-drives-hacked/ presents problems on the flash drives and how the manufacturers are trying its best to protect its products.

FIESTA

2011-01-06T19:05:00.002+08:00

Sinulog 2010

SINULOG

My family observed the Sinulog last year and I am just sharing the picture taken. This January 16, 2011, Sinulog is here again and more colorful.

Sinulog is one of Cebu's most special events. A dance carousel highlights the event, where dancers will dance to the tune of the beat of "Pit Senor". The dancers will be wearing colorful Spanish era inspired costumes. The dance presentations depicts the ritual remembering the Filipino's paganistic past and how Christianity was embraced.

Sinulog is an event which attracted "Turistas" interested to view the festivities as both a combination of religious and cultural.

As a religious activity, devotees come home to Cebu to pay homage to the Sto. Nino. This year a procession was held early in the morning and then followed by a Novena and Mass at the Basilica Del Sto. Nino.

Just like last year, in my school, devotees have started the novena that are lead by students and teachers.

More information about the Sinulog can be read and viewed on this link http://www.philippinecountry.com/philippine_festivals/sinulog_festival.html

PIT SENOR!

Back At Work!

2011-01-03T18:52:00.008+08:00

I am back at work! Back in School!

After the long Christmas holidays extending up to the New Year, I am back at work. I work in a school that offers computer courses, business and engineering.

Today, I think most of the students are not yet back from vacation or were not able to get a ride back from their provinces. Only half of the students are here and are more busy sharing holiday stories. The computer laboratory does not have a lot of students inside and are still busy sharing their stories with their classmates, some checking their mails and assignments. The Dean conducted a meeting in preparation for the activities this month of January 2011.

The activities include the "SINULOG" wherein we shall be attending the Holy Mass on the 8th, then get ready for the "Tagisan Ng Talino" on the 14th, then the National Youth Convention (NYC) on the 21st, followed by the Voice of the Youth (VOTY) on the 26th. In between would be the midterm examination.

After settling in the office, I checked my mails, inspected the building, checked the area for neatness. It is another year and I sure need to list all the activities, concerns, issues and happenings at work.

Working in school is a challenge and I hope that we will have one of the best years ahead!

BUWAD(DRIED FISH) NG CEBU

2010-12-31T18:12:00.002+08:00

I would like to share the pictures I took on the different kinds of dried fish from Cebu.

They are all savorilicious!

Taboan, Cebu is the place to go if you want to buy large amounts of dried fish for PASALUBONG to friends and co-workers out there.

There are dried squid variants, dilis, boneless danggit, dried fish strips, dried fish tocino, hibi (dried shelled shrimps).

I invite you to try them all!

Filipinos all over the world just appreciate the taste of these fish, which is a viand good for breakfast served with tomatoes, rice and coffee. You can dip the fish in vinegar. Enjoy!

PLACES I'VE BEEN

2010-12-29T15:25:00.003+08:00

TAOIST TEMPLE

I've been to many places in the country and I would like to share some of them.

This picture was taken when my family visited the Taoist Temple in Cebu, Philippines. It was drizzling so my daughter used the umbrella, while my second daughter was trying to catch up with her.

I enjoyed taking the picture and I included the statue of the dragon. Its size was imposing and seems like guarding the temple from intruders and its looking down on us :). I feel like we are in another country, but this is just one part of the total temple.

The picture on the right shows the view from the temple, it presents the panoramic view of Cebu. those tall structures, I believe, are the buildings located in IT park and Ayala business park.

The Taoist Temple is a holy ground. Tourists are not allowed to talk loud. There are icons inside the temple and one can ask these holy figures for guidance regarding love, hopes and dreams. Just follow the guide posted outside the temple and you sure can get your questions answered.

The scenery around the temple is breathtaking and one can truly enjoy taking snapshots around the area.