In our school, there’s a certain week in the school calendar that is devoted solely to Science. This is what we traditionally call the Science Week.

This year, that same week starts tomorrow. Well, actually, it begins on Monday but the fun and activities commence on Tuesday and culminates on Friday. I’m really excited as well as genuinely scared of how things are going to turn out. First and foremost, it’s our committee that’s spearheading this event. Second, this is my first time handling something this big. I mean, this is no class presentation. It’s a school-wide thing. Third, there are just so many things that will be happening simultaneously during the week that it’s going to be really tricky organizing a smooth schedule.

In fact, here’s a lineup of the things that are supposed to take place this week.

• Science EXPO defense (resembles a thesis defense but in groups)
• Amazing Science Exhibit (exhibit of a bunch of interactive science gadgets)
• Butterfly Exhibit (live butterflies in different life stages)
• Film Showing (showcasing old and new science flicks – Twister, Gattaca, etc.)
• Fund run (5k marathon for the conservation of a river near the school)
• Mural Painting (wall painting in the soccer field)
• Cooking competition (ala-cooking master boy type)
• Alternative classes (digital photography, mixed martial arts, firearm safety, yoga lessons)
• Book fair (featuring Scholastic books)
• Booths (game booths, Wii booth, food, coffee, etc.)

I just hope everyone has a great time.

Ever dreamed of having your own coffee shop? I have… well actually we have, andrea and I. We’ve pictured ourselves several times already spending our late afternoons together, drinking homemade coffee, going around asking our customers to try some of our latest brew, sampling our very own brand of delicious pastries (cakes, muffins, etc.) to see which ones would match well with specific coffee blends, or just simply chatting with friends over the internet using our own laptops and the coffee shop’s wireless router.

I know it sounds really cheesy and somewhat boring, but we enjoy quiet times together. We love coffee, the internet, each other’s company, and coffee. So why not bring all of them together in our very own dream cafe? Fits perfectly, right?

It’s been more than a week already since andrea and i started on our diet. So it’s been more than seven days now of food craving. I’m starting to re-evaluate my approach on the whole thing. What if instead of completing the 14-day low-carb regimen, I switch to an every-other-day thing? Would it work better? How about taking pills like some Pito-pito extracts or Decaslim, will that be easier? Should I just stop worrying about dieting altogether and focus more on exercising? Or perhaps I’m not really meant to go on a diet or become slim?

All these reduced eating is making me more and more anxious. A few days ago, I would never have asked all these questions… or at least not all of them at the same time. Man, this dieting is really challenging!

Slowly but surely, we’re starting to invest in this house we’re renting. First, we’ve already replaced the flush apparatus in the toilet. Second, we’re done changed the lighting setup in one of the bedrooms. Third, we just installed a new and better faucet in the dirty kitchen. Little by little we’re renovating the house because we believe and we’re still very optimistic that someday we’ll get to own this nice quiet place. We’ve become comfortable with it already and we’ve fallen in love with it. So much so in fact that as soon as we get the title, I’m willing to get it a home insurance already.

It’s not a mansion, nor is it extravagantly well-designed. It’s just an ordinary house on a 120 or 180 square meter plot. It’s old and starting to show its age, but it has kept us safe and happy for more than a year now. That’s good enough for me. So as soon as I can get enough to purchase it, it will be our home sweet home.

Sometimes, I can’t help but dream of a life that’s totally beyond financial constraints – a life filled with late afternoon coffee, impulsive shopping, long weekends on the sofa bed stuck to the TV, out of town excursions, and long long sleeps (long enough to even give me Plantar Fasciitis haha!).

You see, when you still work after 5 pm or during weekends, the mind finds a way to get a reprieve – too brief perhaps and too flashy but a reprieve nonetheless. It creates images or visions that invoke necessary moments of pleasure – sanity moments if I may be so cynical. Or perhaps I’m just desperately trying to create a goal for myself and my family. I’m not entirely sure.

Whatever the case is, I don’t really care. These dreams are nice and for as long as my mind can conceive then I will enjoy having them regardless of whether they come true or not!

In teaching, money seldom becomes an issue. That’s because everyone knows it’s not a profession that’s easily associated with the word lucrative. Most teachers do more than what they’re paid for, but that’s not without cause. For one, we teachers only get what can be collected by the school. If enrollment goes down, then it’s only logical to expect that salaries start constricting. Second, even if enrollment doesn’t dwindle, but collection suffers, then the same thing happens. I mean, if the parents themselves experience financial crises and refuse to pay on time, who can blame them right? It’s not like it’s less costly for the school to hire commercial collection agencies to facilitate faster or more efficient collection. Third, if the economy takes a fall, a school is forced to result to only two alternatives – cut down on the payroll list or cut the down on the pay itself. If it was you, can you stomach an increase in paycheck if it means another colleague has lost his?

Yes most teachers do more than what they’re paid for but it doesn’t mean they don’t get compensated justly. There are certain things that we teachers get from teaching that’s worth more than the financial benefits. There’s admiration, appreciation, a sense of accomplishment, and a sense of relevance and fulfillment especially after realizing you’re teaching more than academics but lessons of life as well.

Before we start complaining about how much less we get than others, let’s remember that teaching is our choice, and we love what we do – not because it brings in the gold, but because that’s what we are. We’re teachers!

I have no idea what’s going on with the world but it’s been terribly and unusually cold the past few days. Because of this, my mornings have become so much more of a challenge since waking up is taking a back seat in the priority list – a bizarre consequence of low temperatures during mornings.

One good thing though about the recent dip in temperature is that it lessens perspiration. One can play football or basketball outside and hardly break a sweat with this weather. And with perspiration at a minimum, sweat and oil production is significantly reduced resulting in less acne. The cold weather becomes an instant acne treatment.

I just hope though that this abnormally cool climate we’re having is not going to cause the summer to sizzle abnormally too.

Ever seen the movie Mamma mia? Well we have… for several times already. That’s because the movie is currently mateo’s favorite. That’s why it’s been sitting inside the DVD player for several days now. You see, whenever mateo would remember a particular song or portion in the movie, he’d immediately ask for his favorite Mamma mia to be played.

It’s really funny because even though its music seems lively and very catchy (especially to mateo), it is nowhere near a Barney movie especially in terms of message. And until the time when mateo already knows what a paternity test is, it’s never going to replace his Barney movies. We’ll make sure of that!

If you read my previous post, you’d know I’ve been considering a pet for the house. This is why I’ve been browsing some sites lately for possible candidates. The funny thing about browsing though is that it leads to funny and bizaare outcomes. In my case, to a horse.

Anyway, since I wasn’t in a hurry or anything, I let the mouse do the browsing for me and surprise surprise! A few minutes later and I’m already an equestrian guru. Haha!

Did you know that a horse can be adorned with a battery of equipments, riding accessories, and so many other stuff? Did you know that there are several types of stirrups, english saddles, bridles and reins to choose from and that all of these are absurdly expensive? Well, come to think of it, for someone who can afford a horse, these things shouldn’t be worth that much. Hehe!

As for us though, a horse is more than a luxury. It’s an impracticality. Even if it may save me a few thousands from gasoline expenses, the cost of taking care of one is definitely more than what I’d spend for our car. So what was all that browsing for? I have absolutely no idea! Haha!

Growing up in a household with pets is not uncommon for me. Actually, as far back as I can remember, we’ve always had a dog in the house, sometimes even up to three at a time. But ever since andrea and I moved in together, I haven’t had a single pet to take care of. No, it’s not because andrea doesn’t want one. We’re actually both dog lovers. It’s just that having a pet is not exactly a practical choice for us at this time, especially now with mateo in the house.

Come to think of it, it’s been almost four years since I’ve had a pet. The last one I’ve had was a dog – a brown mongrel named Doogie. Pretty original huh?! He was a very smart and faithful dog and my dad loved him. Actually, everyone in the family adored him that’s why he was pampered by everyone. You see, of all the dogs we’ve had, Doogie was probably the most taken cared of. As a matter of fact, my dad would even take the time and effort to buy him pet supplements even though he had no breed to brag about, at least until Doogie gave in to old age and died.

Now that Mateo has already turned two. I’m seriously considering if he’s ready for a dog. I mean, since andrea and I both love dogs, it’s only logical to consider a dog as our house pet, right? Problem is, will mateo be able to take care of one already.