November 23 - 29, 2009: When Hell Broke Loose

Note: I am foregoing my weekly journal and would dedicate this week's post to the Maguindanao massacre victims. I would like to be invisible momentarily because anything about my life this week pale so miserably in comparison to the carnage that took the lives of 57 (as of the last account and investigators suspect there could be more) innocent civilians who were out to carry out what they ought to do in the normal course of life on that fateful Monday. Still, I like this post to be part of my weekly journal because it is one of those things which shook me to the core that will forever be etched in my memory. The pictures in the dailies, blogs, and TV speak for themselves. I could hardly look at these pictures without cringing that I decided to just use symbolic photos that bespeak of what we all desire...... justice! I decry the barbarism borne out of greed and lust for power and money. I hope that justice is carried out swiftly and blindly for the victims and the families and loved ones left behind and that the perpetuators will be meted their punishment.

A friend's FB wall read, "Euphoria doused too soon...." After Pacquiao's succesful bid for the WBO welterweight crown and Efren Peñaflorida's win in CNN Hero of the Year, the very first day of the week proved fateful for 57 people, mostly women, who were waylaid, tortured, raped, and brutalized before being murdered. I am shaking and moved to tears writing this post imagining the horror of the people who must have felt that death is in their midst.

Everyone were still in a celebratory mood with Peñaflorida's winning an international hero's award making us hopeful as a Filipino capable of rising above our weakness, overturning life's odds, making a difference, and inspiring others to follow the example. The CNN award is the icing on the cake........ In this atmosphere, we would all be greeted with the news of the massacre that came as a surprise ...........like being doused with cold water to wake up from a pleasant dream to face a nightmare in one instant sweep..... Maybe, we all needed to slap ourselves to believe that what we heard, unbelievable as it sounds, actually happened. Peñaflorida's three seconds have been abruptly cut.... His arrival on Thursday could have been made more fitting for a deserving hero except that Pinoys are now focused a real life horror.

Investigator began digging a grassy area in Barangay Salman, Ampatuan town with the backhoe bearing the name of Governor Ampatuan Sr. used in digging the mass grave still at the site. In the next few days, 57 bodies were recovered. Recently, the search for a 58th body was proposed with the discovery of a partial upper left denture with a metal clasp at the crime scene that did not fit any of the remains already recovered by an independent forensic team led by Peruvian forensic anthropologist Dr. Jose Pablo Baraybar.

Even for a country long hardened to election violence, the massacre of at least 57 defenseless civilians on the main southern island of Mindanao, many of them relatives and supporters of a local politician and a large group of journalists, sets a new low. This troubled corner of the Philippines usually makes headlines for its long-running Muslim separatist rebellion. But the killings starkly exposed a nationwide malaise: the fierce competition for regional power among the country's small Élite of a few hundred families and clans that control an inordinate amount of the national wealth - and the desperate lengths some will go to protect their hold on power. (Alastair Mcindoe, Time)

On Thursday, Philippine flags were flown at half-mast as we mourn for the massacre victims. Suspect Mayor Andal Ampatuan was brought to Manila by a team of DOJ and NBI officials who accompanied the mayor on his way to the NBI headquarters from Villamor airbase in Pasay City. He was to be the Ampatuan's sacrificial lamb even as he maintains his innocence up to this day.......

Eyewitness began surfacing....... Two civilian volunteers who allegedly took part in the grisly killings have confirmed the presence of Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. at the massacre site on November 23. Police are grooming some people to be state witnesses to pursue murder charges against the perpetrators of the grisly massacre in Ampatuan town in Maguindanao .

Three journalists were saved by a twist of fate when they decided to return to their hotel upon the insistence of one of them who said he forgot something at their hotel. In reality, he was having doubts about their safety as he thought about how the Mangudadatu camp's request for police escorts for the convoy was turned down. One had a premonition and decided not to go. He was thanking a fellow mediaperson for warning him which he heeded.....

As it turned out, none of their colleagues returned alive. The three reporters would later find out that almost the entire convoy including their media colleagues, were stopped by about a hundred armed men, and then brutally slaughtered like animals by the roadside. These three survivors lived to tell their story.

As of presstime, Ampatuan Jr. has been charged with murder and remains in the custody of the NBI.

As all of this drama was unfolding, there were questions hanging at the back of the minds of almost everyone. Why is the government too cautious in pursuing this case? There were oevrwhelming evidence but the military were being very careful about tagging the Ampatuans as suspects clarifying they are possible suspect not principal suspects. Government investigators issued official statement left and right saying they were still gathering enough evidence.

What more evidence do they need? There were eyewitness acount of the massacre. There was the the backhow bearing the name of the patriarch of the Ampatuans. There was the phone call of the wife of Vice Mayor Mangudadatu which can already be considered the testimony of someone who feel they are about to die (of course, there is doubt about the statement of a relative of one of the victim but the authorities can verify that statement if they wanted to.) There is the grieving husband who set aside his Muslim tradition to let due process of the law take its course.

Besides, who else would have the motive?

It is not just ineptitude.... There's also the angle of a cover-up because the military is tagged as being part of the armed group which carried out the horrific crime. Many see a cover-up by this administration because of political payback they have to give to a bankable ally who could deliver the votes in that part.

Up to now, the massacre is still being talked about as it is unprecedented in its brutality and brazeness. I am outraged as I cannot fathom how a human is capable of doing this demonic act to a fellow human being, much more to 57 people. I am amazed at how the Ampatuans treat all of us like morons who can't see though their dastardly acts.

Thank God for this media that we can somehow express out indignation instead of building up the seething anger within us that could translate to more violent outbursts. As I cry for justice, i hope that the rest of the Maguindanaoans caught in the crossfire of warring political families will be spared from further harm. They have already suffered so much as a result of patronage politics that produce these warloads whose bloated ego make them feel like they own their territory and that their subjects are beholden to them. In the light of this latest caper, I hope that the, once and for all, government will act swiftly and decisively in dismantling militias and private armies.



If you, like most Filipinos, are indignant about the slow wheel of justice on the Maguindanao massacre, please sign the petition letter to President Arroyo by following the link below.
An Open Letter to Mdm Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, President of the Philippines

Update:

Apart from Andal Jr. also known as "Datu Unsay," five more members of the powerful and Arroyo-allied Ampatuan clan - including its patriarch Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr., a mayor and a vice-mayor - have been recommended by the Philippine National Police Wednesday to be charged for murder in connection with the massacre of at least 57 people in Maguindanao province last week.

Six other people were also included in the list of those recommended to face murder charges by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG).

Apart from Andal Jr., who has already been charged with multiple murder, recommended to face similar charges are:

1. Andal Ampatuan Sr., governor of Maguindanao province;

2. Datu Ulo Ampatuan, earlier identified as grandson of Andal Sr.;

3. Bahnarin Ampatuan, mayor of Mamasapano town, Maguindanao;

4. Datu Kanor Ampatuan, vice mayor of Salibo town, Maguindanao;

5. Toni Kenis Ampatuan, police auxiliary of the municipal police stations (MPS) in Shariff Aguak and Datu Unsay towns;

6. Muhamad Sangki, municipal councilor of Datu Abdullah Sangki town, Maguindanao;

7. Tammy Masukat, earlier identified as the commander of the Civilian Volunteer Organization (CVO) in Maguindanao;

8. Tumi Timba Abas, police auxiliary of the MPS in Shariff Aguak and Datu Unsay towns;
9. PO1 Abbey Guiadem, officer in charge of the Datu Unsay MPS;

10. one identified only as Commander Beri, a CVO member of Datu Unsay MPS; and

11. one identified only as Dahutay, a member of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU) assigned at Sitio Binibiran, Matagabong, Ampatuan town.

Also mentioned as respondents are "one hundred other John and Peter Does."

Still, we must remain vigilant. This country has seen so much injustice right under our noses carried out in the guise of due process. Soon, we would all be back to our normal routine and I am afraid that this carnage will be one of those things that can be easily be swept under the rug.....

Related Posts:
Savage
Savage II
Why the Philippines' Maguindanao Massacre Happened
Maguindanao Massacre: God Is Watching
Wanted urgently: another backhoe to dig up the 58th missing massacre victim in Ampatuan, Maguindanao

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November 16 - 22, 2009: Haunted by My Ghosts

I have been itching to go to the cemetery to visit my parents but I decided to wait for my youngest brother before we could schedule that trip. For some reason, my parents who are long gone seem to haunt me or are they telling something..... like why we have not paid them a visit. The picture of my parents popped out as I was loading my usb to load my lecture in class. I wasn't trying to open the picture and it popped out by itself. It happened twice.... same picture. I was stunned.

At the office, ghosts of the past appear to have reemerged. The leeches appear to once again wrestle control taking advantage of the weakness of the current dispensation. Most of the time, they are out of the office doing odd jobs for some other office. I am haunted by the same issues as in the past.... and I am getting tired......

After a rather routinary week, the weekend came into view.....

My brother arrived the previous week but it was only this weekend when we got the chance to finally visit my parents in their resting place. They were sick and too jetlagged the weekend after their arrival and they begged off from our original plan. I do not want to go the cemetery twice so I figured it's better to reset it it to this weekend.

Like most weekend, I had to pack my day. My children complained about the many errands I have to do before we can go a certain destination. For that trip to the cemetery, we had to pass by Makati to get the replacement for the St. Joseph of the Nativity set I bought last year which has four kings instead of 3 and a missing St. Joseph. I have been patronizing the seller for a long time and I am sure I can have it replaced. However, I lost her contact number after I purchased the Nativity set and I was not able to replace it last year.

I returned the excess king the day before and arranged with the shopkeeper for my pick-up this weekend. Upon inspection of the replacement, it turned out to be the wrong model. I was actually pissed because he didn't check the item I returned. To appease me, he promised to just replace the whole set because their current production of nativity set is different from the one I bought last year. We had to make another arrangement for this long-overdue replacement....hmmmmph

We headed to the cemetery after that short detour to be caught in a monstrous traffic jam as we were nearing the cemetery. The rain also came. It was dark when we reached the cemetery. I had to explain to the guard that we were not able to visit earlier and it was only now that we were able to visit. He let us in probably taking pity on us but astounded about our courage to enter the resting place of the departed at night. It was eerie visiting our parents on a dark, rainy night. I was getting goose bumps as we moved closer to my parents' grave but tried to put a brave front. I trained my headlight on their tomb. My brother decided to go first to check the area. I followed him and told the kids and my sister-in-law to stay in the car. Since it was raining, my brother and I decided to make it a very short visit. After saying our prayers and our unsuccesful attempt to light a candle, we went back to the car. The kids were also getting nervous. I quickly maneuver the car to the opposite direction.

I had one last errand before we go to a resto for dinner. We passed by a dog-breeder to have the registration paper of our pomeranian signed. After this, we went homewards eyeing a diner where we could take refuge. We took the C-5 Road and it dawned on me that we will be passing by Hot Racks, a favorite resto we go to, which serve very good porterhouse and T-bone at very reasonable prices. I could see my girls' eyes glimmer as I mentioned the place.

Once there, we settled and most of us ordered steak. We capped it with a dessert of cheesecake and a cake made with milk..... which is so delicioso. After a hearty dinner we headed home. In the car, MS and my nephew were asking my brother if my nephew could sleep over. Before traveling to the US, my nephew would not want to be left at our home if his parents won't stay. He never got to sleepover alone in our house. In the US, he learned to live and sleep with our relatives and got so used to it. My brother gave his blessing. I was telling my brother to just stay over too but he and my SIL decided to go to their home. I dropped them at the bus terminal.

We arrived home and everyone settled into their own rooms......

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Efren Penaflorida, a Filipino, is What a Hero is

At a restless time when the money, power, fame are the order of the day, Efren Penaflorida, CNN Hero of the Year, gives us, Filipinos,
something to be proud of. Despite his humble and tumultuous beginnings, he rose above the tough challenges he faced in a place where angels fear to tread. Born to tricycle driver Efren Sr. and housewife Lucila, Efren grew up near a dumpsite. Aside from poverty, he was exposed to the world of gangs. He was bullied and beaten by gang leaders and members who want him in their fold.

But he has clearly charted his path and chose to turn this painful experience into a valuable lesson that would guide him in chosen vocation. By the age of 16, he knew he had to do something to change his life and those around him. He refused to allow his circumstances define his future.

"Instead of being discouraged, I promised myself that I would pursue education," he recalls. "I will strive hard; I will do my best." Today, he offers Filipino youth an alternative to gang membership through education.

Together with some classmates, they started Dynamic Teen Companyto offer his classmates an outlet to lift up themselves and their community. Formed in 1997 in Cavite by Efren Peñaflorida, its mission then was to keep the youth away from trouble and vices. For Efren, that meant returning to the slums of his childhood to give kids the education he felt they deserved.

Dynamic Teen Company (DTC) is a group of concerned young people with a mission of making a small yet significant difference in other people’s lives, particularly the small children in slum areas who have no access to education, basic hygiene and sometimes, even love from their families. The group was founded in August 1997 by four teenagers from Cavite National High School. The initial group made up of around 20 members started as a friendship club which aimed to divert the attention of students from joining violent gangs and notorious fraternities that were thriving on the campus. Their major platform then was to cater youth awareness projects, talent and self development activities, and community services. Today, the group holds different activities to address these issues

.

For the past 12 years, Efren and his team of teen volunteers have taught basic reading and writing to children living on the streets. Their main tool: A pushcart classroom. Stocked with books, pens, tables and chairs, his Dynamic Teen Company recreates a school setting in unconventional locations such as the cemetery and municipal trash dump.

"They need education to be successful in life. It's just giving them what others gave to me," he says.

DTC volunteers inpire other children and teen because some of these volunteers were former gang members and drug addicts. Hopelessness could have easily snap the life out of them had they not been helped by DTC. I am not sure if it is just out of gratitude that these volunteers are paying it forward and giving what was given them, which is a chance to live a meaningful life, to other children and teens. I am inclined to believe, however, that extending a hand to help somebody, goes beyond gratitude.

"I always tell my volunteers that you are the change that you dream and I am the change that I dream. And collectively we are the change that this world needs to be."

Efren exudes the qualities of an everyday hero. His life would seem ordinary, but the tasks he undertakes are extraordinary earning the respect of his peers and even parents whom he helped in the past.

There was a time when he skipped a class to convince a peer to abandon his attempt to kill himself. He also stood up against an abusive teacher and brought the complaint to the City Schools Division Superintendent to protect his classmates.

Peñaflorida remembers standing up to a gang leader, refusing to join his gang. That confrontation proved fateful. It was to be the spark that would ignite the fire in his heart to do something that would make a difference in the lives of young people who have gone astray.

Today, children ranging from ages 2 to 14 flock to the pushcart every Saturday to learn reading, writing, arithmetic and English from Peñaflorida and his trained teen volunteers.

Through his group, Efren has successfully mentored former gang members, addicts and dropouts, seeing potential where others see problems. Since 1997, an estimated 10,000 members have helped teach more than 1,500 children living in the slums. The organization supports its efforts by making and selling crafts and collecting items to recycle.

Efren hopes to expand the pushcart to other areas, giving more children the chance to learn and stay out of gangs.

There are a few things that Efren can teach all of us....

That poverty is never an end to one's aspirations.
That a strong spirit defies all odds.
That education uplifts.
That the bad experiences can fuel the mind and the soul.
That greatness is not about money, fame, or fortune.
That everyone has it in them to become a hero.

The last one may not be in the mold of Efren's win in the CNN Heroes of the Year Award.

A little sidelight.........

Efren inspires everyone. There is no obstacle to a good spirit. I am put to shame by this guy. You see, I promised my helpers that I would teach them and my neighbor's helpers (if they are interested) basic computer skills some months ago. I have not delivered on that promise. First, because of my too many preoccupations. Second, my son broke the mouse of the PC in the study. His Dad has not replaced it as he wanted my son to be the one to replace it as a lesson. My son kept asking me to widraw money from his savings so he can buy a replacement. I told him to save money from his allowance. The replacement mouse was put on hold as a result.

I am surely going to give into my son's request and get money from his savings so we could buy the replacement. I am also going to ditch the old-worn out excuse of not having time to do something that would benefit the lot of people who have loyally served us all this time. Because of Efren's inspiration, I might extend my project just a little bit and propose a basic computer class for out-of-school youth and household helpers to our homeowners' association or baranggay. I would have to volunteer my time for this.

To Efren and your team of volunteers, mabuhay kayo at pagpalain lalo kayo sa mga kabutihang ginagawa niyo! May your flock increase a hundredfold!

Kites rise highest against the wind, not with it

...... Winston Churchill

Related posts:
Pushcart educator named CNN Hero of the Year
RP’s Efren Peñaflorida is 2009 CNN Hero of the Year
Efren Peñaflorida: An ordinary man doing extraordinary things
Lakandula award awaits CNN hero Peñaflorida

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November 9 - 15, 2009: And the Winner is..............

A most awaited week for many Filipinos....

Every Tom, Dick, Harry, Pedro, Juan, and even Narda, Jodi, Petra and Rosalinda are waiting for Sunday when Manny Pacquiao tries for his seventh title in the WBO welterweight division against a tough Miguel Cotto. Many are expecting that it will be a good match. If Manny gets it, he ups his ante as the Number 1 pound for pound king in seven weight divisions. The man has given so much honor to the country that every Pinoy is so excited about the fight that we want the workweek to be over with, pronto. Maybe, that is a wish we have all the time.

It was an awaited week for me too as that my brother and his family would be returning from the US after trying out their luck for six months. I wonder what is instore for them here. They would be returning to a home that has been looted. One thing good about their return is the certainty that it will bring a smile to MS.

Aside from this, I guess there was nothing spectacular about the entire week except when I was instructed by the boss to work on a very rush work..... it was due two hours after it was handed to me. It came from the Office of the President which is why there was an extreme sense of urgency to that instruction. The usual gunners were not in the office. The boss who was out of town, gave the work to me as a last resort being fastidious about giving instructions....... she was practically at my throat. I hate being treated like some dumb a.... by a person who obviously does not know a thing about me. Her lack of confidence shows in the way she instruct people. Why can't bosses learn to distance themselves after giving a clear instruction? Or perhaps they do not know how to give instructions. She was texting and calling as I was rushing to do the work I almost told her to back off. She must have sensed my irritation, she stopped after sometime. I told her I would send the output to her after I'm done.

I made it through the day as Malacañang waited for that output. I faxed the document to my boss as the internet in her part was unreliable. It took only a few minutes when she called telling me I did a good job giving instructions once again to coordinate with the office of an official for the clearance of the work. This time there was trust.... I texted her that the work was completed and sent. She thanked me.....

Work aside, I was gearing up for the weekend too. Not so much for the much awaited fight because I am actually not a Manny fan. I am also not a detractor but would surely critique his acting, singing, and attempt to run for a political office for which he would not have any weight category whatsoever in my book.

It was to be a very hectic weekend for me. Aside from the usual tasks at home, I had to check out some finds at the second hand market which I had been scouring for weeks now. I had to go to Divisoria too to buy fabric for my seat cover. I finally was able to coerce the unpholstery shop in our neighborhood to clean our sala set and make seat cover to protect it. We are also planning to go to the cemetery except that my brother is requesting to reset it to next weekend as he and my SIL are sick, probably reeling from a bad case of jetlag.

My friend V...., MD, and I set out on an early Sunday morning to go to Divisoria confident we won't be crushed by holiday shoppers because everyone would be home waiting and later watching the fight. We were right... except for some parking problems because the former parking area was being improved, the crowd was expectedly thin. It was a breeze shopping and we lost track of the time. Later, we had to hurry as I still had an appointment with a fellow freecycler who lives in the area and trust me with her stuff to give away.

We headed homewards with some more errands and a late lunch in the schedule. As we were traveling, we got word that Manny won via TKO when the fight was stopped in the twelfth round. People started emerging from venues which aired the fight. We made a short stop at cartimar to buy dog food and some other stuff.

After this, we went to Dampa at Macapagal for a lunch of sinigang na maya-maya, buttered prawns, and sweet chili crabs. The fight was shown on late telecast by the local channels which we watched over our lunch. Manny was so good from the beginning until the fight was stopped. But Cotto is tough and courageous. At the end of the fight, Cotto was so bruised his pretty face appears disfigured after the fight.

We went home after lunch. We dropped my friend V....... at her home. We reached our home almost early evening. After unloading our stuff, I had to go to the upholstery shop to give the fabric. I came back home and took a long, warm bath to remove all traces of dirt after a long day. I skipped dinner and headed to a new- found salon spa for a little pampering.

Going home, I felt like a winner surviving this week.....

Related Posts:
Win vs. Cotto puts Pacquiao among All-Time- Boxing Greats
Pacquiao-Cotto tops Mayweather in PPV

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How Much Do You Make?

I got this from an email forwarded by a dear friend who like me belongs to the academe. Thank you for sharing this wonderful piece. It made me misty-eyed but it surely made my day!

This is dedicated to all the teachers and mentors who sometimes forget what their true worth is. Indeed, money isn't everything. I am glad that I am always wanting in finances because I know that my true worth is not dictated by my wealth; not affected by inflation; does not expand exponentially by compounding interest rates; nor is it eroded by time........

The Teacher

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life.

One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued, "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"

He reminded the other dinner guests what they say about teachers: "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach." To stress his point he said to another guest; “You’re a teacher, Bonnie. Be honest... what do you make?"

Bonnie, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, “You want to know what I make?"

(She paused for a second, then began...)

Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.

I make a C+ feel like a Medal of Honor.

I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can't make them sit for 5 without an I Pod, Game Cube or movie rental.

You want to know what I make?" (She paused again and looked at each and every person at the table.)

I make kids wonder.

I make them question.

I make them apologize and mean it.

I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions.

I teach them to write and then I make them write... keyboarding isn't everything.

I make them read, read, read.

I make them show all their work in math. They use their God given brain, not the man-made calculator.

I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know in
English while preserving their unique cultural identity.

I make e my classroom a place where all my students feel safe.

I make my students stand and sing ………… every morning, because we live in this great country called …………

Finally, I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given,
work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life."

(Bonnie paused one last time and then continued.)

Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, with me knowing money isn't
everything, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant...

You want to know what I make?

I MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

“What do you make Mr. CEO?"

His jaw dropped, he went silent.


Now let me add my own take on this.....

..... that to really learn, one need to learn discipline, control, and restraint.... that instilling discipline means that a teacher cares to want a student become the best that he can be....

I make a student take each failure as a step leading to the right direction..... that it is alright to fail as long as you learn from your mistake and move on.... that a teacher extends a hand's after each and every failure.....

.... that the best lesson in life is learned in living it taking both blows and breezes with magnanimity.........

......that success is not determined by luck nor circumstances, it is a choice..........

To my former teachers and mentors, thank you for taking the time in charting our paths..........

Everyone is welcome to share your own piece of wisdom.

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November 2 - 8, 2009: Same Old Routine, Some New Twist

It's back to school for me. It's still semestral break for ED while MD and MS were back to school as well. I was trying to get into the routine of having two jobs. It's hard to get back after a lull.... but I must shape up because I need to. I have two classes but was given another one after one of the professors backed out. Being the most experienced handling a variety of subjects, I was the natural choice. I also handled that course before. I really wanted to just have two subjects and offered one of the subjects I would be teaching to my professor friend, a colleague in the old school. She declined as she is having some problems in the school where she now teach. Without any choice, I accepted the new assignment.

The rest of the week was uneventful as far as the office is concerned. The merger would take a backseat as the head of the committee responsible for it is out of the country. I noticed too that one of the heads of the affected office who is against the merger would snub me whenever we meet at the ladies' room or lobby. I would like to wonder aloud and I hope she reads this why people with opposing views on work-related matters should take it personally.

It was a busy weekend as I expected because of so many errands. First, I brought the dogs to the vet for grooming and left them there to do the errands I have lined up.

I have been scouring the sulit.com.ph for items I need like dog cages and some furnishings. I kinda have a good eye and feel for good items to buy. There are so many items on sale there that were hardly used. I keep a close eye on those items because they are practically new. On Saturday, I went to a number of sellers selling stuff I was interested in. One may still haggle a bit once you meet-up with the seller. Some items go so fast. I bought what was supposed to be a second hand dog cage that is practically unused it looks brand-new because their dog would not want to stay in the cage. While I was haggling with the seller, he mentioned that they have a dog bed too that their dog would not like to sleep on. Aha, I saw an opportunity...... I offered to buy the dog bed and of course, he was willing to sell it. I bought it at a steal and it looks so new. I was so happy with my purchase. The second seller I went to was selling furnishing because they were leaving. I thought they would have good pieces of furniture because they live in a classy neighborhood. I was disappointed when I got there because the furniture have damages which they would not reveal in their ad. I was caught in traffic after that detour which was not actually in my route. The seller initially told me that they got a bigger offer from a prospective buyer than the price she quoted me. She told me they are inclined to consider the other buyer and would call me if the other buyer backs out. I said fine but I can't look at her furniture anymore after that saturday and would rather go to other sellers I talked too. She texted me after I finished transacting with the dog cage seller. Since her place is on the way, I figured I'll take a look to my regret.

I had to reset other appointments including fetching the dogs because we had to go to mass. After mass, we had dinner at home and I set out to fetch the dogs and go to two more sellers in the neighborhood selling furnishings. I liked the items of one of these seller but I haggle for a lower price. She would not budge as she said another buyer will take a look. I told her to text me in case there are no takers and she would give it at my price. I did not find the item of the next seller extraordinary and bargained at a price she wouldn't accept. After these errands, I fetched the dogs, who all looked pretty, but were weary from being kept in the vet's clinic for so long.

On Sunday, I had this appointment with a gracious lady which was supposed to have been done the previous day. The traffic prevented me from making it at the appointed time and they had to leave their home. The lady is also a freecycler like me who gives unwanted or excess stuff and she was giving away royal palm seedlings which she grows from the seeds of their own palms. She said she has numerous and I can get as much as I want. Great.... I can have some palm trees in my home. Landscaping can be expensive and this would help cut down costs. She said I can give out some to friends. I also thought of our homeowners' association and chapel ..... so I ask for some more I can give to friends and some others. This is the second time I am a beneficiary of this lady's generosity. The first item I got from her was a huge aquarium which now houses our flower horn. As my boy helper was loading the palm seedlings, she engaged me in conversation and got to know this amazing woman, a retired nurse who counts cooking and painting among her many passion now... She would also show me her plants, bonsais, and paintings as she showed me around her home. She is also living a quiet life and I think she is solely taking care of her household. She has a huge house but I have not seen a helper in that house. She would always be the one to attend to me. Inspite of what seems like a tight sked for this lady, she is able to squeeze in her many hobbies. She is into planting and her property is surrounded by all sorts of palms and trees. People asking for the seedlings are wondering why she is giving it for free when these palm trees are so expensive. She thinks it would be greedy to sell these seedling which her husband just threw on their lot and grew into tiny plants. They then planted the tiny plants into tin cans and plastic pots. The palm trees have great water absortive capacity. Her care for the environment and the recent devastation are part of the reason she wants to propagate these palm trees. She said that she just want to ensure that the palm seedlings are plated. I assured her that I will ensure that they go to good use. She said I can come back for more if I still need to give to some other people or organizations. I went home with a truckload of plam seedlings........

A tiring weekend but it was well worth it.....

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October 26 - November 1, 2009: Knick Knack

The impending merger in the office puts a damper on everyone this week. We will be merged with three other offices. The thing is these three offices do not want to be merged with us probably because of the reputation attached to this office. On a personal level, nobody wants to be merged. The recommendation came from the department managing the government busget and it appears there is no escaping the inevitable. In a surprise twist, we here at my office have all put aside personal biases in favor of what is good for the new organization taking into consideration staff welfare. The other parties, however, would not hear of it and insist on their own preferences. With reorganization blues in the air, there is a feeling of heaviness in each and everyone.

I would be back to the academe this week... That's a welcome change from my boring routine for the past three months I was out of it..... However, the absence snapped out the life out of me and I kinda enjoyed my vegging state. I would have to motivate myself to get back into my old routine.

I would be disappointed with a friend I have been generous with because I feel she's not have it good in this life. I am not asking for repayment. I am just surprise how selfish and bratty she is everytime things are going good for her.....

Typhoon Ramil battered us on Saturday. I woke up to darkness and howling wind. I got my small flashlight and checked out the entire house. Our kitchen screen door was banging. The wind was pushing my sliding door so hard that I was afraid it will shatter. I tried opening a window to ease the pressure but the wind would shut it close. The dogs were surprisingly quiet. I had to check on them. And as soon as they saw me, they started barking.... probably just putting a brave front which gave way once they saw mummy.... Typhoon Ramil was intense and it's a good thing it was quick or the damage and casualties would have been much greater.

We were ushered into another extended weekend because of All Saints' Day. I did not join MIL and family to the annual trek to the cemetery because my helper will take the day off. I had to be the ready substitute on those times..... As always, visit to my parents' grave are timed before or after the actual celebration of the day of the dead. This time, we will wait for my brother and his family to come home before we pay our visit to my parents.

After much ado, we had my belated birthday celebration in the weekend at Mongkok, a Chinese resto in SM Southmall.... We were all craving for something tasty and we weren't disappointed. The kids love the food. Upon getting our bill, my girls noticed that the extra rice we ordered was not charged. So we told the waiter. The waiter was so glad, he wanted the forgotten item stricken off our bill.... I told him to just give us free water and he said he would give even a drum.... Before checking out, I told the waiter to have the rest of the water deleivered to our home. He laughed.....

The week ended on a light note.........

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