Bad Omen

Shorty after 12 midnight of February 1, I got an SMS from my cousin happily informing me that she passed the November 2009 Nursing Board Exam. Just like any big brother I shared the enthusiasm. Only 37, 527 of the 94,462 who took the exam passed it, making for a 39.72-percent passing rate. So you cannot just ignore the SMS as if it is just an ordinary news. Two of my cousins actually took the exam. Sadly, only one passed. But that's another blog entry.

I congratulated my cousin but not without any marching orders. The first thing I told her "inform lola that you passed." Our grandmother will surely relish the good news. She has been in some delicate situation now that she is 82 years old. But she hears everything and I want her to know. Whether my cousin told our grandmother I still have to ask her.

The other marching order is that the first thing she should do after sunrise is to call our Tita in the US to inform her that she passed the board exam. It was not simply obligatory, it is a matter of respect. After all, it was my Tita who sent her to school, paid for her tuition, her boarding house, the allowance and the review expenses. Since the death of my cousin's mother, my Tita assumed, albeit reluctantly, the burden of sending her to school. My Tita sent me to University of San Carlos too.

Those were my two marching orders. The day after I called up Tita and inquired whether my cousin called her up. No, she answered. I was pissed off. When it comes to good news Tita will be left out. But if it concerns payment for just about anything Tita comes first.

My cousin needs a reality check. And I will do it personally by March when I visit my grandmother. Such blatant display of arrogance has no place in my vocabulary. Learn to be grateful if you want to go far, acknowledge the people who helped you and pay it forward.

Or I will bring you back to where you should belong.

THE LAWS OF ULTIMATE REALITY

& Law of Mechanical Repair
After your hands become coated with grease , your nose will begin to itch and you'll have to pee.

& Law of Gravity
Any tool, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner.

& Law of Probability
The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act.

& Law of Random Numbers
If you dial a wrong number, you never get a busy signal and someone always answers.

& Law of the Alibi
If you tell the boss you were late for work because you had a flat tire, the very next morning you will have a flat tire.

&Variation Law
If you change lines in a queue (or traffic lanes), the one you were in will always move faster than the one you are in now (works every time).

& Law of the Bath/Shower
When the body is fully immersed in water, the telephone rings.

& Law of Close Encounters
The probability of meeting someone you know increases dramatically when you are with someone you don't want to be seen with.

& Law of the Result
When you try to prove to someone that a machine won't work, it will.

& Law of Biomechanics
The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach.

& Law of the Theatre
At any event, the people whose seats are furthest from the aisle arrive last.

& The Starbucks Law
As soon as you sit down to a cup of hot coffee, your boss will ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold.

& Murphy's Law of Lockers
If there are only two people in a gym locker room, they will have adjacent lockers.

& Law of Physical Surfaces
The chances of an open-faced sandwich landing face down on a floor covering are directly correlated to the newness and cost of the carpet/rug.

& Law of Logical Argument
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.

& Brown's Law of Physical Appearance
If the shoe fits, it's ugly.

& Oliver's Law of Public Speaking
A closed mouth gathers no feet.

& Wilson's Law of Commercial Marketing Strategy
As soon as you find a product that you really like, they will stop making it.

& Doctors' Law
If you don't feel well, make an appointment to go to the doctor, by the time you get there you'll feel better. Don't make an appointment and you'll stay sick

I survived five months of teaching

It was part of the long term plan but I didn't expect it to happen this soon. Serendipity might be the term or it was really meant to be.

I happened to join the Management Educators Seminar sponsored by the Asian Institute of Management & the Management Association of the Philippines held at the University of Southern Philippines Foundation last May. Also attending were my former professors from the University of San Carlos. After a brief updates on what's happening with me, I segued into asking whether I can apply to teach. The answer was in the affirmative and as they say the rest is history.

I started teaching immediately, less than a month after the MES. I was given the initial load of 15 units or 5 subjects: 3 basic Management subjects usually enrolled by first years, and two HR subjects - the Recruitment & Selection and Personnel Management.

Despite an obviously new environment and having to deal with restless youngsters half my age, I was able to survive the noise, the out of this world behaviour of the new generation and the surprising arrogance of the students.

Did I enjoy it? Actually I am looking forward to the second sem. :-)

12 Things Really Educated People Know

12 Things Really Educated People Know

You won’t find “takes honours classes,” “gets good grades,” or “attends only Ivy League schools” on John Taylor Gatto’s list of qualities of an educated person. Gatto taught in New York City schools for 30 years and was named New York State’s Teacher of the Year, but his experiences convinced him that what students need is less time in classrooms and more time out in the world. Building character and community, Gatto argues, is more valuable than learning from tired textbooks and rigid lesson plans.

Really educated people...

1. Establish an individual set of values but recognize those of the surrounding community and of the various cultures of the world.

2. Explore their own ancestry, culture, and place.

3. Are comfortable being alone, yet understand dynamics between people and form healthy relationships.

4. Accept mortality, knowing that every choice affects the generations to come.

5. Create new things and find new experiences.

6. Think for themselves; observe, analyze, and discover truth without relying on the opinions of others.

7. Favor love, curiosity, reverence, and empathy rather than material wealth.

8. Choose a vocation that contributes to the common good.

9. Enjoy a variety of new places and experiences but identify and cherish a place to call home.

10. Express their own voice with confidence.

11. Add value to every encounter and every group of which they are a part.

12. Always ask: “Who am I? Where are my limits? What are my possibilities?”

This list was adapted from John Taylor Gatto latest book, Weapons of Mass Instruction Learn as You Go, the Fall 2009 issue of YES! Magazine. Gatto was a New York State Teacher of the Year. An advocate for school reform, his books also include Dumbing Us Down: the Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling. (New Society Publishers, 2009).

Simple ignorance or plain stupidity...

One of my students reacted to my "yellow ribbon" by saying "na coma nman na imong aquino sir..tyming pag sona..haha" what a stupid way to react. she didn't realize the contribution of Cory Aquino in order for her to enjoy her freedom now. Ingrato nga henerasyon. No wonder the Philippines remains dirt poor because of this ignorant, ingrate generation!