PRC Express

   I wish I knew about the PRC Express ID service earlier so that I didn't have to go through the manual process of professional license renewal.  My ID actually expired last Feb. , but I was too pre-occupied to arrange the processing of renewal.  Plus, I really dread the long lines and red tape involved in the process so I procastinated and procastinated until I heard that you can ask a representative to do it for you.  I filled up the form that a friend got for me and asked our messenger to go to PRC today.  In less than an hour, he came back with the claim stub that says I can get my new license on August 1, 2008.  Aside from the claim stub, he also handed us this flyer about PRC EXpress ID renewal service.  It claims that all you have to do is call their hotline number:  8544848 and arrange for LBC to pick up your application for renewal, then go to an LBC branch for payment and they deliver nationwide to your doorstep once it has been processed.   This is good news - an answer to the dreaded lines and hassle of processing license renewal.  

BIG family trip

       Last Sunday, we had a family outing trip to Punta Fuego in Batangas.  We were 50 plus in the group including the yayas and kids.  The last time we had this kind of trip was in 2002, when Julia was just a baby.  From 2002 up to 2008, there had been a significant increase in our family's population.   (New babies come along each year, with 5  baby boys in 2004 alone).  Our group was so big that we had the staff at Punta Fuego arrange an exclusive tent and buffet tables for our party of 50 something. When we occupied the jacuzzis at the club, there was literally no room for the others.  They had to wait until we decided to leave before they could use the facilities.  

    

     We were quite lucky the weather cooperated with us.  It was cloudy  and it occasionally drizzled but no big rain that would have ruined our trip.  The beach was nothing spectacular - especially if one's idea of  beaches are those of Boracay.  Despite this, the kids had a lot of fun.  It was a good break from just being  in the metro with practically nowhere to go except the malls.   This is one of those trips that that wouldn't be worth it if you go alone as it was really the company that made it worthwhile.  

Julia's Art Exhibit

     Julia had her oil pastel exhibit at My Little Art Place last mid-May but since I got so busy with the teacher workshop preparation, I only had time to arrange the pictures these past few days.   Being held on a Saturday afternoon, it was just Julia, me and yaya who went to the exhibit.   Compared to the first exhibit, this one was more organized and less crowded.  However, I think there was a lack of air conditioning in the place as it was a bit humid with all the people there.  

      I got to talk to Teacher Stan during the exhibit.  He was recommending Julia to take up 'Pen and Ink" class for the third module.  He said Julia was 'matiyaga' with doodling and had a lot of details in her illustrations.  Here are some of the examples of her work at the exhibit.  My favorite is that of our family picture inside a heart.  I'm planning to make use of her artworks and put them on our personal gift tags.  Julia is just too thrilled with this idea.

 

Bright and Sunny

     I've been meaning to post the whole week, but wasn't able to because I was really busy.  My excuse is that I had to prepare and give a 3 day workshop for teacher training.  I've sort of gotten used to my flexible hours at home so I underwent some adjustments for this week's full schedule.  It felt like I was back at the weekly grind from grad school preparing for presentations.  

    Actually, I'm not done with grad school yet.  I still have the humongous task of research work for my thesis before I finally get my degree.  Friends and relatives have been asking me if I'm done with my studies.  Those who don't know me really well have this assumption that I'm planning to open up my own school after I graduate.  When I let them know that I don't really plan to, they give a surprised response that seem to say, "But why did you have to study?".  They become even more confused when I give them the reason "I just wanted to, for personal growth."

     To be honest, opening up a school did cross my mind.  But this was before I became a teacher and found out that it wasn't as easy as the ABC's.  It entails a lot of responsibility, to say the least.  My experience this past year helped put me in perspective.  In some way, it got me to prioritize what I needed to do.  I'm so looking forward to do the things that I love and enjoy.  I'm all bright and sunny about everything - which is how things really should be.

     

I'm a slave to the computer...

     Yup, I admit that I am.  I eat, breathe and sleep the computer.   I recently discovered that turning on the computer is the first thing I do when I reach home, while turning it off is the last thing I do before I leave.  I spend most of my awake hours on the computer to surf, shop, check mails, research, blog, talk to friends through ym, watch videos, listen to music, arrange photos and so much more.  Yesterday, I purposely went out of the house to take break from being on the computer the whole day, but I still found myself using my iPhone to search  and check my mail and updates.  

      There's no denying that all these advancement in technology have shaped our lifestyles and habits.    In our house, the ratio of family members to the computer is 3:4 ( 3 computers to 4 of us).  Despite this small ratio, I sometimes wish it was 1:1.  Nico's almost always glued to the computer like me.   And over the years, he has wowed us on what he has learned to do by himself using the computer.  A few years back, he surprised his dad by preparing him a birthday powerpoint presentation.  We did not even realize he knows how to use it - no one taught it to him and he did not learn it in school.  He just tinkered with it and figured it out by himself. Early this year, he came up with a video clip  of the American Army game that he's so addicted to.  He accomplished this despite the fact we did not have any programs for it.  He downloaded the tools he needed and learned by searching You Tube!  My point here is that everything's a fingertip away with computers.  Its so easy, convenient and so addicting.  But lately, I found that its so easy for me to loose my sense of time when I'm on the computer.  I keep wondering where all my time went....  I think I have to set limits for myself and stick to it.  

    Since its Sunday today, I'm going to sign off and spend it with the family.  Its my day off today.  On Monday, I can go back to being a slave to the computer:-) he he he

   

     

   

“Don’t wonder why people go crazy. Wonder why they don’t. In the face of all we can lose in a day, in an instant, wonder what the hell it is that makes us hold it together.” - Meredith Grey

Sometimes, terrible things happen that are so unbelievable and crazy that we don't have any explanation why it took place. It pains so much that trying to deny it happened can make you loose your mind. I think of the family and loved ones of the victims from the tragic events found in the news these days... Cyclone in Myanmar, earthquake in China, RCBC bank robbery/murder in Laguna and other gruesome crimes that have been on the news and papers recently. It makes you think how we as humans can handle the pain;how difficult it is to be vulnerable. But life goes on and people to learn to cope. We get by somehow...we have to or we go crazy and disillusioned.

Mommyfest Party

    

    There's a party going on.  Stop by at http://mommyfest.com/ to join.  Its my first time to get involved in something like this so I'm a newbie here. This is a really cool way of meeting people.

    Welcome and feel free to browse around.  Don't forget to drop me a line or just say hi before you go :-)