When we realized that what we wanted to do was to teach, andrea and I have resigned ourselves to a simple life. In the Philippines, you see, teaching is not such a lucrative job so teachers do not normally get enough to buy a lot of things like cars, a large house and lot, or go on out of town trips, etc.

The trips, we’ve accepted already, but we refuse to give up on the hopes of buying ourselves a car, a house, and a lot of our own. This is why we’ve recently looked into setting up a business of some sort to augment income.

A few months ago,  when I sold my motorcycle to get some money for andrea’s D&C procedure, we were able to save a small amount for a billiard table. Optimistic because of the success of billiard tables in the bar/store set up by andrea’s dad in UP Bliss, we figured we might as well try the same idea. So when papu (andrea’s dad) finished setting up another bar in Payatas this time, we agreed to put up our own billiard table. At 15 a game, and in an area close to the tricycle terminal, we estimated q quick return of investment.

Unfortunately, things were not to turn out way the way we predicted. Almost three months after, we are not even close to getting back 1/4 of the money we invested. Now, we’re looking into the idea of moving the table elsewhere, perhaps closer to a place with more foot traffic and nearer to people more willing to spend to play. I don’t know. Our first business venture is turning out to be a struggle.

After turning down the house in Beverly Hills, we went back to looking for other options. Our search for a house continues. So far we’ve tried the internet for postings, our friends for referrals, and even bank listings for foreclosures.

We’re considering settling for smaller lots just as long as the money we’re spending, instead of going out as just rent, slowly earns us our own property. I figured the sooner we start paying for one, the sooner we end spending senselessly-lost money, the sooner we get a property of our own.

Unfortunately, lady luck continues to become elusive. I guess it’s God’s way of saying we’re not yet ready for such a huge investment. I’m praying that means would come our way when we finally become ready to do so.

I really want a house of our own. I can’t stop obsessing about it lately. Hahaha!

What is the essence of exercise?

I would have no hesitation in answering this if I was asked that question a few years ago. Because for a biologist like me, the primary reason and goal for such a routine is to improve or maintain health. However, after seeing kids, nowadays, straining themselves so much in exercise just to attain the abdominal muscles that they often see in movies, hesitation would be the kindest word that I could think of.

Sad, but true. Stomach weight loss is secondary to abdominal showing. Health is becoming a fortunate coincidence or side effect to getting buffed abs. How sick is that? I’m dreading the world that mateo will be growing up in. I just hope we build steady enough morals for him to make him strong enough to resist such vanity and pressure from friends and people around him. With media leading the charge to promote aesthetics standards, the new generation is in for a real morality struggle.

Please grow up to be wise, my son. People will love you for your goodness, your skills, your personality, with or without abs. We will always love you no matter what.

I guess andrea has basically made it public in Facebook so I won’t hide it anymore. We’re expecting another baby. We’re pregnant and looking forward to seeing our second by August.

Because of what happened the last time, we kept this pregnancy to ourselves. The first trimester was the crucial stage for the previous pregnancy which is why we wanted to keep this secret till we got through the first trim. Last week, we just did, and we’re hoping to cruise along the next two trimesters without much worry…

Everything seems to be going well because we’re seeing the same symptoms that we saw when we were pregnant with mateo. Even andrea has gone back to worrying whether she’s starting to look pregnant or just simply fat. Her vision has also become affected just like before.

I, on the other hand, could only look at and pamper her. As much as I’d want to share the burden of carrying this next baby, the only thing I can do is to make her comfortable, both physically and emotionally. Heck, I’m even browsing through the net for diet pill reviews just to see if there are any diet pills out there that are safe for pregnant women to take – anything to ease her worrying about anything and everything especially about this pregnancy. She couldn’t exactly exercise because her delicate condition prevents her from doing so and food deprivation isn’t exactly very healthy.

I keep on telling her that she’s beautiful and there’s nothing repulsive about being pregnant. I love her and that’s not gonna change – pregnant or not pregnant.

Who needs weight loss pills when you’re a coordinator?

The bulk of the work that subject area coordinators in school does is given not during the school year but during summer vacation, when everyone else is relaxing and getting fat.

No, I’m not trying to complain. How could I? There are several perks that come with the title. First, coordinators have flexi-time. We supposedly have no regular schedule for log-ins and outs so long as we fulfill a 40-hour per week quota. Second, we have less subjects to teach, therefore we supposedly have less preparations than others. Third, there is a substantial amount added to our pay for the extra responsibilities that we’re given.

However, just like any other position, being a coordinator comes with several banes as well. First, the supposedly decreased amount of paperwork (for lessons), is replaced with logistic paperwork – letters, circulars, proposals, sponsorships, budgets, requisitions, schedules, etc. Every time there is a science-related activity, may it be a contest, a field trip, or a science week, letters, circulars and other logistic concerns are made by coordinators. Second, yes we do have less subjects to prepare for, but we have to check all the papers – activity sheets, quizzes, test drafts, of all the other teachers in the department. How’s that for a trade-off? Hehe! Third, because we constantly receive and send stuff to and from other teachers, our work doesn’t really stop after logging off from school. Most of the time, I email instructions and materials to co-teachers in the department. Other times I receive and check stuff from them. So we may log-off early in some days but we never really stop work early. In fact, I can’t even help working during weekends.

So why did I agree to become a coordinator? Well, why shouldn’t I? First and foremost, being asked to handle such a huge responsibility means people see my potential to handle more. Second, it’s an excellent opportunity for growth and development, to see how much more I can learn, to test how much I can handle. And I’ve learned so much from two years of leading the department. So for as long as I can, and so long as people want me to, I’ll continue to handle the science department. After all, I’ve got a lot of good teachers to help me with the whole program.

I’m not a strict observer of good posture. In fact, when I think about it, I always am in a not-so-proper position – usually crouched, or too laid back. What’s even worse is that I picked up some really nasty habits when I was in college – like twisting my back till it pops. I guess that’s the reason why I’m now feeling a few problems in my back region.

Usually, before I go to sleep, it’s difficult to feel relaxed till I pop my back. Sometimes, I’d even sleep late because of that. Recently, a doctor friend of mine told me that was not such a healthy practice. It may even be detrimental especially if I develop osteoarthritis. Somehow, I knew that even before he told me. I knew there was something wrong with that habit but I just couldn’t stop.

Now I’m pondering about my choices. Should I really stop? Or should I just take treatment like msm lotions? How could I stop? For the longest time, I wanted to, but it becomes even more difficult to do so especially if you’re deliberately trying not to. It’s like a tiny rat gnawing at your brains whenever I consciously avoid popping. Darn these back aches and bad habits.

I’ve recently committed myself to cycling to and from work. In fact, since the start of February, I’ve ridden my trusty mountain bike to school in the morning and back to the house in the afternoon.

It took a few days for my muscles, though, to adjust to the terrain. You see, the route I take isn’t exactly flat. In fact, it involves several uphills and downhills. After, all the village isn’t called Beverly Hills for nothing.

Anyway, I figured it’s about time I got back into shape. I haven’t played basketball for more than a year and I haven’t exactly been joining my students in soccer practice as well. I need some form of exercise to keep myself fit since I’m not really into taking diet supplements nor do I have time for jogging or going to the gym. And since I sold my motorcycle already, and thus have limited ways of going to work, I figured what the heck. Let’s try biking.

It gives me a practical way to go to work. It saves me money from commuting. It doesn’t require a lot of time away from work or family, nor does it need a special place or enclosure like a field or a court. The only setback, if ever, would be the price of the bike that I’d buy.

To solve that particular concern, I went out and bought myself a relatively cheap but good enough pair of wheels. It’s not much compared to the 15k to 20k kinds you see in trails, but it’s good enough to get me to work and back, and good enough to give me a sweat. At the moment, I’m still familiarizing myself with the gears, the parts, and the feel. So far, I’m liking it. In fact, I have a swollen kneecap to prove it. (Darn bully tricycles! Fell down in the gutter after being cut by a stupid tricycle! Lucky for him we were going uphill so I couldn’t catch up.) I guess this really means I’m into biking now!

Every  year, in school, there’s a week when we drop all school materials and play to our heart’s content. More popularly known to the students as the sportsfest, the intramural this year will happen on the 16th to the 19th of February.

Once again, there will be four teams competing for the title of best group for the year – the Red Minotaurs, the Blue Harpies, the Green Hydras, and the Yellow Djinns. The colors basically remain the same but the names of the teams change based on a yearly theme. This year’s theme is mythical creatures and unfortunately I was selected to head the Green Hydras with the help of my co-coaches, Teachers Ayi and Erik.

I don’t know how things in the intramural are going to turn out. I’m still just thankful that the Science Week is over and we were able to pull things off. I plan to take it easy this time and let the high school students and my co-coaches take over the supervision of the team. I’ve given the kids instructions on how to manage themselves and given them some tips and strategies for the games. I hope everything works out well. I don’t want the sportsfest week to be as draining as the previous week. I’ve had enough alli diet pills in the form of schedule conflicts and last-minute finding of judges in the Science Expo. I’m not gonna make myself any thinner, at least not that way.

I’m vowing to enjoy myself this time. Winning would be the icing on top, but a break from all the work is rewarding enough.

Recently, we’ve had a chance to look at a house for rent in the subdivision where we work at (a 2-bedroom floor to be exact). The area of the whole floor was big, enough to accommodate a small dining area, a small kitchen, and a huge veranda aside from the two bedrooms. To top it all off, the place had 2 pools – a full-size adult swimming pool and a wading/kiddie pool – a real piece of work (the kind that is sure to have received a couple of home insurance quotes).  And it was even being given to us at the same rate as the house we are currently renting. But we turned it down.

Why in the world did we do that? Well, for one, the bedrooms were only half the size of the ones we’re currently occupying. The whole veranda was bigger than the two bedrooms combined. That’s a major concern because andrea is less than 6 months away from giving birth to our second baby. What we’ll be needing more by then is bedroom space and not a veranda – a bedroom with enough area to accommodate our queen-size bed, mateo’s sofa bed, and a crib. We can’t exactly spend the night in the veranda. Hello?! The second bedroom will be occupied by their tita so that’s not an option  either.

Second, the place is not exactly the safest area to raise children for various reasons. REASON #1: Pools are hazardous and mateo is not exactly a timid kid. He’s not afraid to try the water nor is he the type that would stay put inside the house if the doors are open. REASON #2: The whole place may be protected by 2 dogs, but it is not at all secured. From our last visit, I remember seeing several areas where robbers could easily have access to. The lot  is surrounded by trees from neighboring subdivisions and is not secured with grills nor do they have any other security measures aside from the 2 mutts. REASON #3: Although I have little problems interacting with other people, I don’t find the thought of sharing your home with other people comfortable, especially with a stranger. Since the Australian owner of the house is staying for 6 more months, we’ll be sharing the space with him till he leaves. We may be occupying two separate floors but we’re still just a floor away from each other. I’d like to keep my privacy.

In the end, we thought it best to stay put. We may still be a subdivision away from work, and pool-less but we’re still safer here than anywhere else. I’d like to keep it that way at least for a little while longer.

As far as I could recall, I’ve always been a computer game enthusiast. I remember my dad getting us an ATARI at first, and then a family computer before I graduated from elementary. However that was the last gaming console I would ever get.

When I got to high school, my parents bought me my first desktop – a 486 (for those who are still familiar with the early PC models). Then, before I graduated from college I got my second PC, a Pentium 4 (which at that time was one of the fastest), both of which I don’t consider to be gaming units, although the latter I loaded with Warcraft. But I never had another game console.

I do, however, try to keep myself updated with the latest happenings in the gaming world. Sometimes I would catch myself drooling over the latest ps3 games, or the latest psp craze. I would browse the most popular game titles and watch clips or screenshots of the top so and so games. But I would never again get a gaming console. I can’t afford one and mateo is still too young to play one… at least for now.

So at the moment, I do the only thing I can do. Watch, wait, and be patient. Sometimes I still play with my laptop, but I still miss the real thing. Mateo’s already turned three so we’re he’s only a few years short of a PS. Just a little bit longer… I hope… Hehehe!