I Want to Live Like Animals, Careless and Free...
Last Sunday, Kuya Dondi, Ate Caren, Kuya Wappy and I continued our Sunday outing and that day, we went trekking along the perimeter of the Manila Bay and Manila Zoo. The water was fantastic. It was actually sparkling. We walked lang, and it was really windy. Soon, the greatest mall in Asia will rise right next to it.After walking, Kuya Dondi took us to Manila Zoo. It was quite fun. We patted an ostrich named Erika. She's the first tamed ostrich and she was born in Cagayan de Oro. Now, isn't that cool. After the Manila Zoo, we had Buy the Bucket and Ice Monster in Blue Wave. It's a new establishment in Manila and it's open air in the middle. It's so pretty you can see the stars. Anyway, this was definitely another Sunday to remember.Three Parrots, 2 Cockatoos and 4 Happy Cousins 
Kuya Dondi with the Croc & 3 kids who just don't wanna go near :D
One Happy Barkada: Me, Ate C, Erika, Kuya Dondi & Kuya Wappy
Catching up on the buzz...
I haven't written in such a long time that I have to brush up on the happenings. In one of my previous entries, I mentioned that Ate C and I went to watch the San Miguel Philharmonic Orchestra and Master Chorale. Ate C and I were able to have our picture taken with one of the country's best musical geniuses, who is none other than Mr. Ryan Cayabyab.Me, Ate C and Ryan Cayabyab 
Lots of funny things happened over the past few days so I'll just go over them as a review of how the week has been :D
Jika: Teacher Bambie, I need to make wiwi.
Bambie: (takes her to the bathroom) Do you know how to make wiwi by yourself?
Jika: No. (So I pull down her pants) Teacher, my panty!!!
Bambie: Ok (hayayay)
Jika was too small to reach the toilet so guess what, I had to carry her while she made wiwi!!!
On the same day...
Bea: (pointing to the building) Teacher, what's that?
Bambie: That's building :)
Bea: What about that?
Bambie: That's also a building.
Bea: And that?
Bambie: That's a building too.
Bea: What about that one?
Bambie: THEY'RE ALL BUILDINGS!!! :D (Nako po)
On another day...
John-John: Teacher, I want to make wiwi.
Alessa: Go to teacher Bambie.
Bambie: (Where the hell are all the guy teachers when you need them)
In the bathroom...the girls' bathroom...
Bambie: Do you know how to make wiwi by yourself?
John-John: Teacher, help me remove my pants?
Bambie: (helps him unbutton his pants)
John-John: Teacher, how do I make wiwi?
Bambie: (hesitates a bit)
John-John: Teacher, I need to make wiwi!!! (with sense of urgency)
Bambie: (oh crap!!!) Ok. Umm...face the toilet (while turning him to face the toilet) and...AAAAIIIIIMMMM!!! (double crap!!!)
Of course it missed the first time around, so I had to say, "Stop" and "AIM" all over again. What an experience!!!
Those kids are just so cute, you can hardly count the funny and fun experiences. There's just too many of them.
And the winner funniest thing...
I was talking to Ate C and my cousins, then all of a sudden, BAM!!! An insy winsy spider bumped into the Rustan's mini grocery's sliding door. Hahaha!!! It was so loud we couldn't help but say Ouch!!! When we looked back, kilala pala namin. Kung saan-saan kasi tumitingin ;) hehehe. It was the funniest thing.
The Wind Blows In A New Direction
Today is probably what I would call a day of realizations. I’ve been studying all my life, laboring through sleepless nights just thinking about how all this hard work will prepare me for the world. Going through grade school, high school, college, and for some, higher studies, is definitely no joke. How much of the information we learn do we really retain? Do we really need all those higher maths, sciences and what have yous? Maybe to a certain extent, we do, but do they make us better people, really? Coming from a first degree nerd, it’s quite shocking to see this coming from me. I pride myself in putting education first, but I didn’t think that what I really need to learn about life can be learned in an Art Adventure. :D Yup, I definitely learned it all here.
Rules for students…in my case, students of life:
1. Always greet everyone with a smile. Say “Please” & “Thank you,” “Good Morning,” “Good Afternoon,” or “Goodbye” when you arrive or leave.- Really. How many of us in this day and age still do that? These days, people just take what they want. No wonder there are so many wars.
2. Only use what you need. Do not waste materials.- Goodness me. People now would rather buy something new rather than recycle. No wonder global warming is such an issue, we have mountains of trash and animals are becoming extinct left and right. We now have to buy drinking water! Isn’t the world made up of ¾ water? Shouldn’t water be free?
3. An artist is never afraid to get dirty, but you should always remember to clean up after. (In other words, Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, but always remember that you can make up for them after.)- Some people are so happy in their comfort zones that they end up not living life to the fullest. In that case, what’s the point of living if you don’t actually live. It’s okay to make mistakes. Everyone makes them. That’s why you’re learning, right. :D
4. When you don’t understand something, don’t be afraid to ask for help.- In life, there are people who will always be better than you, but that shouldn’t stop you from striving to be the best. That’s what people are there for, to guide each other and assist in your growth and development. That’s why you have parents, teachers, siblings and friends, and yup, you can learn from people younger than you. People need people. Think about it, you’re needed too. :D
5. Words that could hurt another’s feelings are not allowed. Saying “ugly” is not good.- Every time we talk, do we really stop to think about what we say before we say it? It doesn’t matter who you’re talking to, whether that person is older, or younger, everyone deserves your respect. Yup, even your enemies do too. Besides, we should see the beauty in everything. Nobody thinks anything is ugly unless someone says so. That’s why there are stereotypes. People judge before they get to know that what really counts, the inside, is more beautiful than the outside.
6. Share what you have.- This one, most people have a hard time following, myself included. Some people might go, huh? Yeah! If everyone shared, there shouldn’t be hungry and homeless people. Going back to number 2, use only what you need.
7. Make Friends- You can never have too many friends. Make friends, but at the same time, be a friend. Accept people for who they are and not for what they are. Wouldn’t you feel better if people accepted you for just being you? :D Be honest, trustworthy, caring and loveable.
8. Concentrate on the task at hand. Believe in yourself because you can do it!- When you’re given work, do it, whole-heartedly. There’s no point in submitting something half-baked. In the end, it’ll make you feel better and proud at that. :D Trust me. I know this one all to well. No free loaders ;) You can do it. Nothing is impossible if you try and put your heart and mind to it.
9. Don’t run around with your scissors. Use materials the way they were made to be used. (In other words, Don’t run around with dangerous materials.) - Other people could get hurt when you play with dangerous things. In fact, you could get hurt too. The internet is made for better communication and research, not plagiarism. Brains are made for thinking of ways to make life better and help people, not terrorize people. Hearts are made for loving people, not hurting. Use them wisely. You’ll never know how bad it is till it happens to you, so don’t let it happen to others. It might just come back…with interest.
10. HAVE FUN!!!- There’s no point in living if you don’t have fun. Go ahead! Enjoy life, use your imagination and dream big, but bear the previous 9 rules in mind.
Once you’ve mastered these rules, you’re all set to go out into the real world. In fact, maybe some of those out there need a refresher course. There’s always a child in us. We just have to think about the simple things in life, and we’re on a one way trip to happiness. This is what life is supposed to be.
Tell the world of His love...
"For God so loved the world, He gave us His only Son..." This song was the song for the World Youth Day held in the Philippines in 1995. It was already 10 years ago since Pope John Paul II came to this country, and now, the whole world's attention is focused on what seems to be the last hours of the great Pope.
He is such a holy man, and I've obviously never known any other pope in my lifetime, but he seems to be all that. He was able to unite many countries through prayer and visitations & meetings. He was able to tackle many issues that confuse the world today like abortion, divorce and euthanasia. He definitely walked his talk. In this case, he reminds me so much of lolo. They look alike, they have the same aura, stood for the same things and coincidentally, suffered the same illnesses. It's quite creepy really.
I significantly remember my audience with pope in May of 1998 in the Vatican, more like St. Peter's Square. He was so close that I could touch his head if I wanted to, but that would just be rude. I just remembered mommy screaming at the top of her lungs, "Viva el Papa!" Wow! To be in the presence of such a holy man is breathtaking. Just imagine if it were Jesus, or God for that matter.
Now that our dear pope's life hangs, I hope he recovers, but at the same time, I hope he doesn't have to suffer. If God decides to take him, I hope and pray that his successor be guided to perform his duties well, always for the greater glory of God. At the same time, the world is also called to do the same, "to bring the message to everyone in a voice loud and clear..."
"LET US TELL THE WORLD OF HIS LOVE, THE GREATEST LOVE THE WORLD HAS KNOWN!"
