Planners

                  

There's something about the photos above that always makes my interest pique, my heartbeat speed up ever so slightly, and expands something inside my body and soul. It's a pleasantly uncomfortable feeling. Weird huh?

There's something about a new planner - those pristine pages, waiting - just waiting - for me to fill them with adventure, drama, possibly the most epic adventure ever!

Many have asked why I still use planners when I already have gadgets to use. Well, I don't know exactly. It's just that I feel better using the conventional datebook or planner.  I use planners to remind me of appointments and other to-dos. I also use it as a scrapbook where I paste runner's bibs I use during runs and photos of important events. 

For the past few years, the Starbuck's Planner has constantly been on my list.  Friends, former students, colleagues, and acquaintances from other companies provide my other planners.  One thing for sure, they don't just collect dust... They contain memories.

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Bookworm

I can't remember exactly how many books I already have read. I started reading at a very young age. My parents encouraged me to read, read, and read. My uncles and aunties kept sending me books too.

I remember that back in grade school, I read Bobbsey Twins and one of my cousins influenced me to read Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys. I also had the chance to read Sweet Valley Twins and Sweet Valley Kids. Don't get me wrong, I have had a happy and normal childhood. I mean. I also played the usual games children play. :)

In high school, I enjoyed Sweet Valley High and Sweet Valley University (even when I was already in college). Likewise, I read Sweet Dreams just like many of my peers did.  I have read Shakespeare books; Iliad and Odyssey too. At first, because I had to. Later on, because I just wanted so.

When I was in college, I had more time to read and so I spent so much time reading paperback novels and a whole lot more of reading materials. 

Rowling, Steel, Grisham, King, Sparks, Brown, Crichton, Meyer, Tolkien, Sheldon, Covey, and many more! Chicken Soup books too!

I never stopped reading. I still read a lot now. In fact, I splurge on books! I have to be honest though... some of the books are free because they're given as gifts and some are downloaded from the internet.  Thanks to technology, I can now keep thousands of e-books in my iPad and in my Nook! These gadgets will save me a lot of bookshelf space!

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It's a HOMEWORK!

There must be a reason why an assignment is called a homework.  Homework is broadly defined as student learning activities conducted outside of school hours as assigned by the teacher.  By the word alone, we know that it must be done at home.

It is disappointing to see students working on their assignment in the classroom.  It is in fact very insulting to see students doing their homework in their other subjects during YOUR class!  And when you call their attention, they look at you sharply with that cloud callout above their heads saying "GO TO HELL!"

I understand why some teachers would capture papers or any output (from other subjects) of students being done in THEIR classes.  I even saw some teachers throwing them in the garbage can.  I am no saint; I did that too!  There was even a time when I was still a neophyte in the teaching profession - young and very idealistic - that I grabbed a 12-column worksheet from a student and tore it into small pieces.  I called her attention several times and each time, she would just look at me nonchalantly and go on working with her homework in Basic Accounting (she was in my Human Resource Management class).  And so, I walked towards her, grabbed her paper and tore it into pieces.  Looking back, I realized that it is something I do not and, will not, regret.

I was once a student too and I have always been a responsible student.  I submitted requirements on time.  I can't remember a time that I would go to my teacher to ask if I can submit my homework at a later time.  I can't remember having to miss out on lessons just because I had to rush an assignment while lecture was ongoing.

A student should make sure he/she has the assignments, understands them, and displays effort toward
completion.  He/she should do his/her work neatly and must, at all times, submit assignments when due.   It is unfair for diligent students to be given scores equal to those who do not submit their homework on time.

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My Love-Hate Relationship with Blogging

It's been a while since the last time I have blogged.  I have several blogs and many of them have died a natural death. *evil laugh*

A couple of days ago, I thought about getting back into blogging.  Well, if Tumblr and Instagram are counted as photo blogs, then I have not totally been away then.  I must admit, other than Tumblr and Instagram, I also have been spending some time in social networking sites.
For some reasons, I got very inspired to rekindle my relationship with blogging.  While going over my old blogs, I thought of revamping one of the existing blogs but thought that it might not be a good idea.  I decided to create another one and migrate files and folders from my other blogs.   Finally, I thought about creating a new one -- a totally new one.  And so, the birth of this blog.

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