Profile
The name is Elaine or Ien or Pssst or Hoy ...or whatever suits you
...from the city of Davao
...26 with fine lines and wrinkles already
...short-haired, two-eyed na! (thanks to constact lenses), right-handed, flat-footed
...wants to be a Buddhist and a United Nations interpreter someday
...confused about life in general
Song for the Moment
You Are The One
Arki Stuff
Design Intelligence
Death By Architecture
Design Boom
Loud Paper
Residential Architect
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Kath's Long Journey
Almighty Fong
Dubai's Darkest
The Lazy Blogger
Poni's Bed
Busy Mind w/ Net Access
Des is for Lourdes
Where Everyday is Sunday
The Sassy Lawyer
Lex's Hidden Curls
Chick Cartoons
Some Kinda Blog
Global Stuff
The Japan Times
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Friday, February 24
Peeling off the Skin
...like a snake, i'm shedding.
...like a snake, i'm shedding.
Tuesday, February 14
Sucker!
yes, i'm such a sucker for valentines. i know, i know. i did say i'm the scrooge of valentines a post or two ago. but last night, ate lala gave an early valentine present - a hershey's chocolate bar. i finished it in a sitting. hehehe i thought that was so sweet of her even if sometimes (no, actually most of the time) i can be such a pain in her ass. her gesture prompted me to buy hershey's kisses this morning. i gave them to my students and co-teachers in UP. i even put post-its on it with funny messages like "the secret to my figure", "best before february 14, 2006", "something heavenly, yet sinful", "a super late christmas present." i'm also giving something to my sister later tonight and i wrote something like "to the best "ate" of 61 sapphire st." hehehe eh sya lang naman ang ate sa bahay eh. i hope she won't read my blog today. this can be such a spoiler.
if you've been follwoing this blog, you would know i'm very single (as if there is such a status as "not very single" or "a little single"). i am not complaining (not one bit!) about my current status. i am even celebrating my single-blessedness. my stand was further validated by what candy pangilinan said last sunday in "Y Speak." she said "you can't give what you don't have." and indeed, i feel i don't love myself that much. come to think of it, women, who are conscious of their body, who dress up and make up, who try to achieve something for themselves, usually end up with partners or are the pursuable type. i am not that type. maybe eventually, but not for now. who knows? maybe i can still find "the one" (or the other way around) without much effort. he might like the comfortable me and be attracted however way i package myself.
when you are me, you don't need a partner in days like today. all you need is your ate lala to love you and the whole world to love. happy hearts' day everyone!
yes, i'm such a sucker for valentines. i know, i know. i did say i'm the scrooge of valentines a post or two ago. but last night, ate lala gave an early valentine present - a hershey's chocolate bar. i finished it in a sitting. hehehe i thought that was so sweet of her even if sometimes (no, actually most of the time) i can be such a pain in her ass. her gesture prompted me to buy hershey's kisses this morning. i gave them to my students and co-teachers in UP. i even put post-its on it with funny messages like "the secret to my figure", "best before february 14, 2006", "something heavenly, yet sinful", "a super late christmas present." i'm also giving something to my sister later tonight and i wrote something like "to the best "ate" of 61 sapphire st." hehehe eh sya lang naman ang ate sa bahay eh. i hope she won't read my blog today. this can be such a spoiler.
if you've been follwoing this blog, you would know i'm very single (as if there is such a status as "not very single" or "a little single"). i am not complaining (not one bit!) about my current status. i am even celebrating my single-blessedness. my stand was further validated by what candy pangilinan said last sunday in "Y Speak." she said "you can't give what you don't have." and indeed, i feel i don't love myself that much. come to think of it, women, who are conscious of their body, who dress up and make up, who try to achieve something for themselves, usually end up with partners or are the pursuable type. i am not that type. maybe eventually, but not for now. who knows? maybe i can still find "the one" (or the other way around) without much effort. he might like the comfortable me and be attracted however way i package myself.
when you are me, you don't need a partner in days like today. all you need is your ate lala to love you and the whole world to love. happy hearts' day everyone!
Saturday, February 11
Affected
we failed one student in today's thesis delibs. nakakalungkot talaga on my part. i've seen the progress of these students - from topic selection to translation. i was with them all the way. it's sad to let them down, but it's sadder to know that they have reached 5th year with the kind of [skill] level they have. magastos mag-thesis sa arki... well, magastos naman talaga ang thesis sa kahit anong course. but arki thesis is made extra harder because all you're skills are thrown in the frying pan... your research process, application of a theory, translation of technical to creative, verbal and visual communication of concepts, execution of ideas, presentation techniques... argh! it's never ending. even the brains of the jury get fried. and we can't pass them all just like that. every arki student is inevitably filtered by the board exam. and the arki schools need to maintain a certain passing rate to continue its existence. sadly, someone's gotta do the job. yes, for other arki teachers, it's just a job. for me, it's something else. i am always affected. i know teaching will be the end of me...
teaching -> worry -> stress -> death!
my solution to my current situation is reading other blogs. i'm reading posts of more "proactive" bloggers to see the brighter side of things. it's like reading self-help books. i particularly like reading mimi's blog about weddings (not that i have plans of marrying any time soon). i also like reading the blog of a UP law student (not that i'm preparing for my future - duh!). i also snoop around blogs of yuppies and mothers -- they seem to be more jaded than i am. hehehe. i read the stuffs from my global links and translate them in babelfish.com... they make me think, thank god, i'm in the philippines!
always a day at a time - that's how i take life nowadays. it's been working so far. my plans are mere sketches and can be erased anytime. i just wish my thesis students are doing the same. i hope they also read "proactive" blogs (and hopefully it's as therapeutic to them as it is for me). and i hope they have not "inked" their plans [yet] for such a very volatile life.
PS - happy birthday, tess!
we failed one student in today's thesis delibs. nakakalungkot talaga on my part. i've seen the progress of these students - from topic selection to translation. i was with them all the way. it's sad to let them down, but it's sadder to know that they have reached 5th year with the kind of [skill] level they have. magastos mag-thesis sa arki... well, magastos naman talaga ang thesis sa kahit anong course. but arki thesis is made extra harder because all you're skills are thrown in the frying pan... your research process, application of a theory, translation of technical to creative, verbal and visual communication of concepts, execution of ideas, presentation techniques... argh! it's never ending. even the brains of the jury get fried. and we can't pass them all just like that. every arki student is inevitably filtered by the board exam. and the arki schools need to maintain a certain passing rate to continue its existence. sadly, someone's gotta do the job. yes, for other arki teachers, it's just a job. for me, it's something else. i am always affected. i know teaching will be the end of me...
teaching -> worry -> stress -> death!
my solution to my current situation is reading other blogs. i'm reading posts of more "proactive" bloggers to see the brighter side of things. it's like reading self-help books. i particularly like reading mimi's blog about weddings (not that i have plans of marrying any time soon). i also like reading the blog of a UP law student (not that i'm preparing for my future - duh!). i also snoop around blogs of yuppies and mothers -- they seem to be more jaded than i am. hehehe. i read the stuffs from my global links and translate them in babelfish.com... they make me think, thank god, i'm in the philippines!
always a day at a time - that's how i take life nowadays. it's been working so far. my plans are mere sketches and can be erased anytime. i just wish my thesis students are doing the same. i hope they also read "proactive" blogs (and hopefully it's as therapeutic to them as it is for me). and i hope they have not "inked" their plans [yet] for such a very volatile life.
PS - happy birthday, tess!
Saturday, February 4
'Zup? (with continuation)
my blog stalker did it again. but this time, i really don't care if he/she completely sabotages my blog. i'll just make another blog if his/her pestering continues. you can't get in my nerves, asshole! hehehe
last night, i found myself bawling over a pile of thesis books i need to check. i read and check (and sometimes write curses) on these books every freaking day of my life! i have 31 students for my thesis class who happen to have one common denominator - a book with incorrect grammar in it. i'm not an english teacher and therefore i cannot claim i know or write perfect english, but i know when microsoft word displays green and red lines under the words, it means something's wrong with my syntax or spelling. so, why can't these kids trust the freaking program?! ipagpilitan daw ba ang "will tackles" at "will be focus"? i know atenistas to be good or at least conversant with the language, but i'm definitely seeing a different crowd here. anyway, i'm not generalizing, maybe i'm just not lucky this year with my students.
i'm finally seeing clearer skies. medyo alam ko na kung ano'ng gagawin ko in the next few months. it will still depend on that freaking (don't i love the word "freaking"?) LAE. i have this paranoia that my students hate my guts and teaching methods, but i got a different feedback when i shared i'd probably quit teaching next sem. one said, "...just one more year, ma'am. hintayin mo muna kameng gumradweyt." that made me think big time. is it time? am i really really ready? i know there's no right timing or enough readiness, only strong decisions and convictions. walang mataas na bakod sa taong gustong magnakaw.
to continue... i got my family's late christmas present last week. i got the most fabulous bag, darlin' (said in a colin cowie voice)! as in everything fits in. also, i accidentally (because it's supposed to be for my sister) got a pair of shoes, which actually makes my feet look like chinese lotus feet. they also sent a box of pot of gold chocolates. oh gosh, heavenly and sinful!! it's the best hershey's product ever. haaaay, i love balikbayan boxes. hehehe
moving on.... it's been a week since i wrote the entries at the top. i just want to share a bit of newsflash. may arki board topnotchers na ang ateneo de davao!!! yehey! being a teacher from this very young arki school, it truly made me proud to know that two of our students got in top 10. grabe, second batch pa lang yan ng graduates namen. paano pa kaya kung tumagal-tagal pa kame. hehehe i would like to share that one of our graduates who borrowed my reviewers also passed the exam. he's the 4th person to borrow my reviewers and passed the exam on first take. these are the people who borrowed my reviewers (in order): mike reyes of TIP (bestfriend during JPT review), lex luague - thesismate (pero sandali lang nya hiniram), andrei tan of UST (cutey son of a co-teacher in ateneo), and EJ - my student in ateneo. i don't know if sharing this info will lessen the "powers" of my reviewers (baka ma-usog), but it just feels magical, don't you think? hehehe
malapit na ang balemtayms day (na naman). as usual, i'm on boycott. valentines has nothing to do with our culture (hallmark is an american company) or religion (st. valentine is just an urban legend... parang st. nick at mga kapre lang yan). hype, hype, hype - that's all there is to it. i'm the scrooge of valentines. hahahaha
my blog stalker did it again. but this time, i really don't care if he/she completely sabotages my blog. i'll just make another blog if his/her pestering continues. you can't get in my nerves, asshole! hehehe
last night, i found myself bawling over a pile of thesis books i need to check. i read and check (and sometimes write curses) on these books every freaking day of my life! i have 31 students for my thesis class who happen to have one common denominator - a book with incorrect grammar in it. i'm not an english teacher and therefore i cannot claim i know or write perfect english, but i know when microsoft word displays green and red lines under the words, it means something's wrong with my syntax or spelling. so, why can't these kids trust the freaking program?! ipagpilitan daw ba ang "will tackles" at "will be focus"? i know atenistas to be good or at least conversant with the language, but i'm definitely seeing a different crowd here. anyway, i'm not generalizing, maybe i'm just not lucky this year with my students.
i'm finally seeing clearer skies. medyo alam ko na kung ano'ng gagawin ko in the next few months. it will still depend on that freaking (don't i love the word "freaking"?) LAE. i have this paranoia that my students hate my guts and teaching methods, but i got a different feedback when i shared i'd probably quit teaching next sem. one said, "...just one more year, ma'am. hintayin mo muna kameng gumradweyt." that made me think big time. is it time? am i really really ready? i know there's no right timing or enough readiness, only strong decisions and convictions. walang mataas na bakod sa taong gustong magnakaw.
to continue... i got my family's late christmas present last week. i got the most fabulous bag, darlin' (said in a colin cowie voice)! as in everything fits in. also, i accidentally (because it's supposed to be for my sister) got a pair of shoes, which actually makes my feet look like chinese lotus feet. they also sent a box of pot of gold chocolates. oh gosh, heavenly and sinful!! it's the best hershey's product ever. haaaay, i love balikbayan boxes. hehehe
moving on.... it's been a week since i wrote the entries at the top. i just want to share a bit of newsflash. may arki board topnotchers na ang ateneo de davao!!! yehey! being a teacher from this very young arki school, it truly made me proud to know that two of our students got in top 10. grabe, second batch pa lang yan ng graduates namen. paano pa kaya kung tumagal-tagal pa kame. hehehe i would like to share that one of our graduates who borrowed my reviewers also passed the exam. he's the 4th person to borrow my reviewers and passed the exam on first take. these are the people who borrowed my reviewers (in order): mike reyes of TIP (bestfriend during JPT review), lex luague - thesismate (pero sandali lang nya hiniram), andrei tan of UST (cutey son of a co-teacher in ateneo), and EJ - my student in ateneo. i don't know if sharing this info will lessen the "powers" of my reviewers (baka ma-usog), but it just feels magical, don't you think? hehehe
malapit na ang balemtayms day (na naman). as usual, i'm on boycott. valentines has nothing to do with our culture (hallmark is an american company) or religion (st. valentine is just an urban legend... parang st. nick at mga kapre lang yan). hype, hype, hype - that's all there is to it. i'm the scrooge of valentines. hahahaha