Strong and Challenging Competition to a Shameful Embarrassment

It was a great morning of heaven that turned into hell.

The day is almost great to me until everything that suddenly happened during that time. Well this is not the only day that I'm pissed but I'll be nice for the sake of the reader of this entry.

After checking our attendance for World Literature and a few discussions about the final project we head to the auditorium to watch the speech competition. It was really fun I had a break from stress for some hours. I was sitting with Miss Ceres and we were just mess with each other all the time.

During the competition each high school participant from different schools was given a topic, "Whether good times or bad, it's only the time we got" I don't know, I forgot the exact words. Some of them did great but some shiver in fear.

But meanwhile after having the first five, I heard someone mentioning my name and I was like what's going on? Then I learned that they're volunteering me in an activity related to public speaking. I was surprised and I wonder why?

It was only for fun. First we had a debate; each block needs three representatives and will be competing with each other. They will give us a topic and whether we like it or not, either a pros or cons will be assigned to us. The criterion is very easy, whoever has the loudest cheer from the crowd wins, and it’s such a bias I know.

It's now Tourism versus Marketing, I went around the seats then across to the other side to meet the other two volunteers from our block, Cha and Roanne. I led the way to the stage, at first I thought I would have a great fear but when I went up and walk to the center it had a less impact. Now, they give us a topic about who has the potential to be a better ruler, "Duterte and Binay".

Duterte for Marketing students and Binay for us, I was like "I want to defend Duterte" because I'm on his side but we have no choice but to defend it or we'll lose it. I'm having a hard time thinking good things about Binay until I remember his commercial about losing his mother at a very young age. Well, still Duterte's side made a good point. I won't blame anyone from my team or even myself if ever we lose the debate, how can you defend someone you hate? But still we won by just the odds which is the audiences' cheer. I can remember the part where I angrily shouted "TM" good thing some didn't notice that otherwise I'm totally embarrassed.

We continue after the activity, the reward is a chocolate; I don't eat sweets so I gave it to someone.

While a participant is speaking, the adviser from the Asia Pacific College Speaks is going around to each block again and again, uh oh. It looks like there's another reaping again. Unfortunately same thing happened, I'm in demand and I was provided as a tribute.

There are only few participants until the competition ends, and there is another speaking activity again, this time only one will be killed in front of the judgmental crowds. The game is called Speed Speaks, each participant is given 5 unrelated words and you need to connect them. For each 30 seconds you will be given a chance to say something about a word then the rest follows with the same amount of time limit.

I act stupid by telling the hosts that I already got it, but then I ended up doing the opposite, that's why we started over again. I don't know why, probably I'm trying to entertain people even if it would risk my dignity. For the sake of the crowd, I just do everything that I can to please them but I admit that I embarrassed myself by being the pride of our block. The first set was easy; I should have taken the chance. To be honest, something was bothering me that time, I don't know what it is but I just do it and looking forward to be finished.

I also received a chocolate as a reward, but not as a winner but as a participant, every volunteer for the activity received the same prize even if I did worst than them.

Somehow I feel like I did a smart thing about showing my stupidity but at the same time I'm hoping that the embarrassment that happened will be forgotten and will never happen again.

Phantom of the Opera: a movie that captured me

"Dark Opera”
“Dark Music”
“Everything's Dark”
“I have this Dark Feeling”
“I can feel it”
“It conquers me”
“It wants me”
“I want to be part of it”
“I want to be part of that Darkness"

These are the feelings I felt when the first music was played during a film showing in the Audio Visual Room on the 26th of November. I'm a little bit late that time; I forgot the reason, that's why I missed some of the first part of the movie. Then I asked Mam Eliz, "Miss what is the title of that movie?" She respond, "The Phantom of the Opera."

An elusive music was playing in the screen. I feel stunned. It devours me in the Dark Room. It's eating me alive from every beat, every tone, every note, everything.

It was a great movie, I feel like I want to be part of it. All performers are wonderful, especially their voice. The film ate me alive. I wish I can play a wicked role just like the Phantom of the Opera.

I love the concept of the story. It's about person name Erik who owns a theatre. He is known as the "Phantom of the Opera" and is not seen by his workers. He hides his ugly face under a mask and hides somewhere in the stage. He only sends letters to them to say his messages. Whenever they displeased him, he pranks on them by doing some malevolent act. He fell in love to one of the performers the soprano Christine, but she loves someone else, her childhood friend, Raoul. Witnessing the horrors in the theatre, she tried to escape with Raoul. The Phantom of the Opera learned about their escape plan. Furiously angry to what he found out, he kidnapped her forcing her to marry him by a threat to kill her boyfriend. In order to save Raoul's life she agreed to marry Erik. Sadly, Erik allowed them to escape and was given a kiss by her. She leaves with Raoul with a feeling of sorrow. Erik just left like a bubble.

My favorite lines from the Phantom of the Opera are:

“You can fool someone you’ve known before.”

“There are worst things than a shattered chandelier.”

“I won’t forget him in this darkness.”

“He kills without a thought.”

“Why past can’t just die?”

I haven't fall in love before but I can feel the man's pain about sacrificing his happiness just for her to be happy. You know what they say:

I also believe that love shouldn't be based on appearance. But honestly speaking, you can't avoid either adoring or hating someone without facial features as a factor. Some say, "First impression never dies."

I agree somehow, I mean love at first sight? And the reason why is because the person is nice?........how exactly did you find them nice at the first place without any interaction with them? The answer is you fell in love not because they are nice, but because they look good. Going back to the topic, once again I'll say that the story is good, I love the music so much and it's very dark. But beware because the Ghost can be everywhere and can be anyone.

Plagiarism is not an old issue but still a BIG ONE

I know how it feels like when somebody copied your own work. I bet every does hate it the same way I do.

I remember a month or few weeks after the first day of school, we were ask to write a speech about three of our most feared things for public speaking 1 and it was a group activity. It only composed of 1 partner, but the worst part is being partnered with a lazy person. I won't mention a name for some reason but I'm going to tell what that person exactly did that traumatized me when it comes on trusting people again.

We started to talk to each other about three of our most feared things. At first, I really have a bad feeling that it's the kind of person who will do something bad and awful. It just asked me to borrow my work; I thought it just wants an idea on how it will write its own speech. Then, Sir Nomer asked for a volunteer. "I volunteer", it objected "No." Sir asked if my partner is ready and it respond that it's not ready. Sir Nomer skipped us, I was very nervous that time, my heart was beating very fast probably detected something bad might happened. It took twenty persons (estimated) until it's our turn. I expected it has something to say after a long time of wait. We went in front, it went to speak first because one of the rules is the person who's named is called will go first before its partner. As it reads its own speech, I was shocked.

It has the same conclusion like mine. I was frustrated. I want to humiliate that person in front of everyone showing how shit it was. But what it doesn't know is I already have a backup in case something like this happened. But still, that didn't calm me down knowing the fact that it copied my work. I did my best to do better. It turned out great somehow, I managed to end my speech nicely, but my issue was what just happened during that time gave me a lesson not to trust anyone, especially when it comes on showing your creativity. Well, it might copy my work but it will never copy the way I think.

  

#ALDUBAgainstALLODDS as a part of Media

At first I was really disappointed when Fox Filipino has been removed from our cable and replaced by Jeepney Tv on the 14^th day of August (probably). The program is from ABS-CBN because we are using Destiny Cable. Sky Cable already own Destiny Cable. Since, Sky Cable has partnership with ABS-CBN, cases like this is expected. It’s like I everything change when the day this happened, everything is not normal, I feel uncomfortable. I tried to survive the new nature.

Until one day, I heard about ALDub, I actually didn’t hear about it for the first time because I always see it whenever my family is watching GMA noontime show which is Eat Bulaga. I saw Wally disguised as an old woman with this dubsmash caregiver, she was named as Yaya Dub. She was the girl who went viral with her video doing some dubsmashes. She became popular as the story continues to expand with more characters. She develop a love story with Alden, they became famous because of their split screen love story. Many people admired them until (probably) GMA dominated the afternoon rating.

Some adore them and also expect for bashers. But some people hate them not because of they are in GMA, but because they got most of the attention than the problems of the world who need it more.

What I can say is, ALDub in Kalyeserye is not that bad because they’re teaching good moral values and they are emphasizing the meaning of “Right Time”. But it doesn’t mean I don’t agree with the points of some people who are not fan of it.

This morning we had a seminar that involves media. Media is powerful and influential but accompanying these great attributes is also a great danger. People can spread the news, actuate people, host an organization or a group and gather people to be part of it. However, it seems like this power is not being used in a good way.

World’s generation today has been gifted with such things. With no proper use of these possessions, it will endanger the moral values of humanity. It is not media’s fault, it’s our fault. We must understand these facts and change them for good.

Isagani Cruz: The Man behind Nonsensicalness

ISAGANI R. CRUZ (B.S. Physics, UP Diliman; M.A. English, Ateneo de Manila University; Ph.D. English, University of Maryland) is the President of The Manila Times College. He is a former Philippine Undersecretary for Education and Governor of the National Book Development Board. He is a Professor Emeritus and a University Fellow of De La Salle University in Manila. He was the Curriculum Adviser of the Steering Committee on K to 12 of the Department of Education, the Commission on Higher Education, and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. He has been a professor, a visiting fellow, or a lecturer at various universities in the Philippines, the United States, Iran, Japan, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom, including the University of Oxford. He has given lectures or read papers in Australia, China, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.

He heads the Manila Critics Circle, the Filipinas Licensing Copyright Society, Books for Philippine Schools Foundation, and C&E Foundation. He helped set up the Philippine Association of Scholarly and Academic Publishers, the Philippine Journals Online project of the Oxford-based International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP), and the Philippine E-Journals project of C&E Publishing. He is the former President of the Philippine Studies Association, the Philippine Fulbright Scholars Association, Wika ng Kultura at Agham, and the Asia Pacific Writers Partnership. He is a retired Senior Bibliographer of the Modern Language Association of America. He has been decorated by the Government of France as a Chevalier dans l’Ordre National du Mérite and by the Ramain family as Honorary Sultan of Iligan City. He was a Project Director of the Foundation for Upgrading the Standard of Education and the Program Director of the Philippine Cultural Education Program of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. He was the Chair of the Commission on Higher Education Technical Panel on General Education and a member of the Technical Advisory Council of the Congressional Commission on Science, Technology, and Engineering. He is an adviser of iCubed.us of Hong Kong and MITIS International School, and a Board Member of St. Paul University of Iloilo.

He writes novels, plays, essays, biographies, corporate histories, and short stories in Filipino and English, for which he has won numerous national and international awards, including the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards in Literature Hall of Fame, the Southeast Asian Writers (SEAWRITE) Award, and the 2010 Outstanding Filipino Award (TOFIL).

He has written or edited more than seventy books.  He writes weekly columns on education and culture for Philippine Star and Pilipino Mirror. He is a blogger, Facebooker, Twitter, and Google Plusser.

At first, I signed to work on this author because he seems familiar to me but when I started to researching him, holy cow.

He is. Yes he is. He is the author of "Ang Tatay Mong Kalbo". I just watched that play last month, I think. It was cool, full of humor; I don't want to repeat the same words. Good thing there's a word "version" because if there isn't, this work would not exist. I don't know what else can I say, probably because all the words to describe this work is in one of my blogs already. I hope Miss Eliz will forgive me for choosing this author because of its convenience to work on, I mean I recently created a blog for this and now I have to work on it again? Worst, I already have an idea on how to write a blog for this instead of thinking other words to say. Peace Miss Eliz, luv u.

Sources: http://isaganicruz.com/

               https://isaganicruz.wordpress.com/works/

               http://www.pye.ph/events/ang-tatay-mong-kalbo/

SoM Week: A Week of Heaven

I know you also don't want stress just like everybody, because it kills us, literally. There are lots of things that made me like this week, but the thing I like most is the temporary cancellation of classes.

Actually I don't have problems having a class the only problem is how are we gonna do in each class, everyday. I mean classes start mostly at 7:30 AM per week plus Saturday class (so we only have a day for rest), everyday there will be always one or more assignments, I usually don't have problems with assignments but DAILY? That's crazy and last, some of the profs give DAILY quizzes. Although they're doing their job well, it's too much for us to handle.

Until SoM Week arrived. To be honest, at first I don't have any idea what it will be like, until I already experience it.

At its First day, we were introduced to the program outside the school by representing its banner. It was hot during that day, oh wait. I forgot the parade, it was fun too even if some of us have been left behind and just waited at one side until they arrived. Then attend the game TM Mysteries where we need to solve a mysterious case, we got disqualified though because I committed some violations like accidentally destroying a prop because somebody pushed me oh, well, I don't want to talk about it because it just reminds me of how frustrated we are to finish the game but ruined because of a destroyed prop but the fact that I have what it takes to solve that case even if I'm alone, means a lot to me.

Second day, we had a short lecture about WorLit. I think the purpose of that is to remind us that after this week, it will be a hell week again. For me Hell is a place like home but the hell week I'm referring to is the week where we get tired because of tons of school works and we get to fell asleep when at home then waking up eventually early in the morning to finish some works and prepare for school for another day of heavy labor. Then watch a game. I think this is the time I experience playing badminton again, it was fun but my hand.

Third day, we also had a short discussion in Miss Joei's class; it's not actually a discussion it's a presentation from the losing group from the last game. Then watch a game and play badminton again.

Fourth day, just watched a game and a quiz bee then attend the Som Night, I had fun sitting at one side because I don't feel like to dance and for the next hours I spent the time looking for my block-mate's lost E-plus and I arrived home at 9 onwards.

At the Last day we watched a game and josh's pageant, he didn't brought the crown home though but we are still proud of him, it's an achievement to be a candidate I can say. I forgot to mention that I just slept the rest of the time after school. Those times I feel energize because after weeks of draining my energy, I feel empowered again. I took the opportunity because I need to wait 12 months for the SoM Week to happen again and because I don't know when I will have the opportunity again.

After I typed this..... I fell asleep.