Last week, andrea and I were reunited with our dream car, the aveo sedan. We went to SM taytay after work to buy some groceries when we saw her there, all shiny and seductive. So once again, we felt the desire we fought so hard to overcome last time - the desire to buy a new car.

So what’s the problem with getting a new car? Well, there is none actually, if we had the money. For us, getting the car, you see, would mean getting a loan. And that is what we can’t afford. I mean, we’d probably get approved but what’s the point if we can’t pay it off anyway. (Darn those loan sharks and their false hopes!)

So after reliving the agony of touching it again - the elegant seats, the leather-clad dashboard, steering wheel and shift knobs, we went home sulking. At least, it wasn’t as bad as last time because Mateo was there waiting for us when we arrived. He was the living reminder that we absolutely can not be careless with our spendings. We have to consider each and every buck we’d spend. And this sedan, is just too much of a risk. So we had to move on.

Or at least we tried to. I, still clinging on to the idea of a new car, just surfed the net to get my mind away from it all, when another idea struck me. Heck! If we can’t buy a new one, then we’ll just have to focus our efforts on restoring our current car. So I continued browsing, this time for car shops specializing on restoration.

I found this interesting shop, Leder interia, a shop specializing on leather restoration. When I saw the wallpaper and the gallery, I was instantly glued . I just had to know more about the shop so I kept clicking. Their services, aside from the obvious seat restoration, included tinkering with your dashboard, steering wheels, shift knobs, and even paint restoration. They can accessorize the inside of any car with wooden or metal panels, replace all mattings, and customize the type and shape of seats for you. It was heaven.

I kept picturing the red car with new sporty seats, glossy new paint, and an elegantly-accessorized dashboard… and I got excited. I know it may cost a bit but at least it won’t compare to the prize of a new car. Hey, I’m not that picky. If I can’t buy a new one then I’d settle for a fresh-looking one.

The only problem now is how to save up for it. Oh well.

I don’t like gory or morbid thoughts, but sometimes I guess imaginations can get pretty wild. You see, I sometimes find myself asking how would I take it if I just suddenly found out that I have a chronic disease and have only a few months left. Sounds scary, right?
The funny thing is, I don’t really feel scared. (Nope, this is not macho talk!) My usual retort would be that everything is gonna turn out alright. Everybody dies anyway. The only things that give me pause were andrea and mateo. But even so, I would still feel that everything will be fine since our parents would immediately take them in if something happened.

But this morning, it was different. I felt genuinely scared. Andrea suddenly complained of a painful lump on her breast and I didn’t know what to do. Having heard of several testimonies from women who suffered from the same thing, I kept imagining several scenarios. The more dangerous and critical the scenario was, the more scared I felt. Apparently fear comes in greater and more overwhelming waves if the one threatened or in danger wasn’t you but the one you love.

I couldn’t help but pray that those lumps are nothing more than clogged milk ducts. Still, I wouldn’t take any chances. I told her to dress up so we could visit the hospital to have her breasts checked. And so we did. We spent the whole morning in the hospital for the checkup. Andrea was more scared of the expenses that would come if ever we find anything. I don’t think andrea realized how worried I was. Never mind. I was just extremely thankful that the doctor had the same suspicions as mine. Nevertheless, she recommended that andrea undergoes breast ultrasound tomorrow. Hopefully, the results would finally give us a peace of mind.

Before all this, some relatives who have a Florida healthcare plan told us months ago to get our own which I now realize we definitely need. According to them, Peoples Health Insurance, LLC, aside from having the usual agents to help clients out, also provides quotes online from numerous health insurance carriers which will make it easier for us to choose an affordable and flexible plan that fits our budget. That should really help us, they said. And I agree. So as soon as I check out their plans, I’ll probably get one for both andrea and I… for additional peace of mind.

In my several years of stay in the farmhouse, I’ve been friends and buddies with many of my co-teachers. Some of them I knew even before teaching while some I only met there for the first time. Others I only grew closer to after working with them. Others simply became friends as a result of spontaneity.

I guess it can’t be helped. The school is a small one, accommodating only as much as 2 sections per level with each section comprised of around 25-30 students. On the administrative side however, there are about 30 teachers, most of which attend the same meetings every Tuesday, eat the same food every lunch time, and see each other after almost every 45 minutes as we go from one class to the next.

Unfortunately, this group of teachers never stays the same for a long time. You see every year, a couple or more leave and get replaced by new ones. Even as early as now, I’ve already heard goodbyes from some of them.

So for now, although it pains me to say this, I’ll say goodbye… All that I wish for them is that they find whatever it is that they’re looking for. Actually, may we all find whatever we’re looking for, for that matter. Whatever it is (money, fame, glory, fulfillment, etc.) And to my friends / co-teachers heading for greener pasture, it was a pleasure and an honor working with you guys! So long mates! Goodbye friends… for now!

Earlier in school, a co-teacher of mine asked me how long have I been teaching already. Without so much as a wink, I told her 5 years. Then, I was pleasantly amazed at how shocked she was with my answer.

It was not until she asked me again if I knew the fifth graders when they were still in first grade that I realized how long 5 years are. Sheesh! It was the first time I’ve ever seen it that way. Normally, when I think about all the high schoolers having been under me at one time or another in the past 5 years, I feel nothing more than nostalgia. Sometimes, I even brag about being able to describe each and every student all the way from the senior class to the freshman class this year. This time, however, it was different.

Somehow, the difference between the first graders and the fifth graders are just more pronounced and undeniably more obvious than the difference between freshmen and seniors. And having to witness the change from one to the other, apparently makes you a certified old teacher. Huhu!

I can’t believe 5 years have already passed. But then again, just like what they say in the movies, time flies when you’re having fun! (Just wish I could say the same for the whole 5 years though! Hehehe!)

The Event…

During the third trimester of the school year, our school launches a unique program for the sciences known as the science expo. It is an elaborate event that gives a chance to students to showcase their creativity and understanding in the specific field of science of their choice (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, etc.)

During this time, science classes give way to research and brainstorming. (Yehey! No lessons for the teachers!) Students, in all grade levels, are asked to make models - those that either explain a concept or those that represent new inventions. For half of the trimester, they are required to find out everything that they can about their topic of choice or invention, build a model, and organize a presentation that will impress anybody who asks about their project. Yes a killer presentation, because at the end of the trimester, all projects will be judged based on how well they are defended by their creators.

Science teachers play the role of advisers - pointing the students in the right direction to make their research more relevant, encompassing and efficient. I, being dominantly a physics teacher, accepted only advisees who are working on inventions. Why? Mainly because of attitude.

My take…

You see, students working on inventions generally are more motivated than those working on models that explain concepts. I guess it’s because of additional incentives. I often tell my advisees, work on an invention on a premise that they will be sold. Make your inventions in such a way that people who see them would want to buy them instantly. Why so? Because it’s only practical. If you would like to invent something, wouldn’t you at least want to get compensated for it? I tell them, some inventors settle for fame and glory while others settle for money. The bottom line is, whether it’s fame or cash, inventors would still appreciate compensation.

In this age, why not teach the kids that studying can actually bring them monetary rewards aside from the usual annual recognition on stage? Call me conservative, but I’ve been brought up thinking that school was to prepare you for a good job when you grow up and that we should study hard so that we can get nice-paying work after we graduate. (aside from the helping of others and the country ideals of course) What I’m trying to do here is just breaking that chain of thought for the new generation. I’m making my students realize that their thoughts and ideas right now need not be set aside for future use (when they’re already working) but that they can be utilized already.

Coming up with inventions and such is the same as working. Heck, in some companies they hire people who will be assigned to such tasks as inventions or innovations. Right? Young as they are, our students’ creations can not and should not be taken lightly. This is what I’m trying to plant in their minds. I mean if they can come up with brilliant ideas, would it be wrong to equate pennies for their thoughts?

I just bet Thomas Edison would not agree to that…

To students and/or parents who’ve watched their children play in the Alaska cup, the name Hedcen is almost synonymous to football or soccer. That’s because for years, our school has dominated the game, rarely failing to get a place in the finals in every level every year.

This is the result of intensive efforts to focus only on one sport - the one which the school firmly believes gives Filipinos more chance of attaining international recognition than basketball - soccer. Yes, the school where I work at only has 1 sport (and no other) but the school owns it. Just ask all the other rival schools that has played against us.

I, unfortunately, grew up with a different game - basketball. And no matter how much I try to spread it’s appeal in school, my efforts always end in vain. But it’s not because the school does not allow it. It’s more because students do not fully appreciate the game - having been raised basically in just 1 sport.

Recently, however, Coach Juaqui, the head coach of the varsity team decided to engage in cross training to add some variety to the skills that the students have. Fortunately for me, his choice of sport to alternate with soccer is basketball. So now, after school, the varsity players head toward the subdivision’s covered court to play basketball.

The school provides the transportation to and from the court. The whole place is reserved so the varsity gets to enjoy the whole court without worries. And the best thing about it is that teachers are welcome to join! So now, after almost a year of not playing, I finally get to pass, dribble and shoot the basketball again! Woohoo!

At around 10 months old, Mateo’s hair has already grown way past his eyebrows. And now at 12 months old it’s way past his nose. This is why, after a few days of turning 1, we gave him his first haircut.

Now, before we’re judged as old-fashioned, know that andrea and i had second thoughts about the haircut more than once. For several times, we considered letting Mateo grow his hair long - even long enough to sport a pony, but because of pressure from grandparents and of course the obvious concern for hygiene, we opted to yield. He could always sport a pony later if he really wants to, I told andrea.

But since I didn’t trust myself to do the deed, I took charge of taking pictures instead. Andrea, on the hand, was more than willing to play the role of hairdresser… And so after almost half an hour of (experimental) cutting, here he is, all clean and trimmed. I hope!

before

after

One of the first toys we ever gave Mateo was a basketball. Yes, not those baby rattles or cars, but a miniature rubber ball. And he immediately took a liking to it. From then on, we always had a first choice of gift for him.

On his 1st birthday, we weren’t surprised to find out that many of his guests picked the same thing for him as a gift. Papu, as we call his granddad, gave him a football, on the other hand. Now he’s got several basketballs, a soccerball, and a football.

Here he is after trying out his new ball. He got his first tackle from dada, but still found the time to smile for the camera.

I am amazed with the vast amount of resources available online for those maintaining their own site. Nowadays, you don’t have to be an internet whiz to be your own webmaster. There are a lot of tools out there in the web, from counters to site stats to opinion polls. Most of the time, all you have to do is add a little code to your side and everything else is handled by the tool provider. Easy-Poll, a site that offers free questionnaires and polls for example, handles and calculates everything on their own servers. Hmmm, you just might see one here on my blog next time.

I was planning on staying in the whole weekend and lounging around with my wife and little boy. This plan will now only apply on Sunday. Hehe! Andrea’s family will be having a lunch gathering tomorrow in her grandpa’s place. We were begging off but her cousins and aunts wanted to see how big Mateo is. It has been months since they last saw Mateo and they weren’t able to go on his birthday. I just hope our little rascal will be real trooper tomorrow.