What could be fun in studying new things and in going to school? A friend of mine once posted in his shout out that age is inevitable and that as we go old we gain knowledge. Therefore, we learn so many things here on earth as we grow old. Looking age at a good perspective for it is in knowledge we find contentment and happiness (love you Paul for this, my friend).

But some would say, "Enough about going to school". Many would surely like to have fun only and leave knowledge aside. Well, when I was still an undergraduate student I gained wisdom and had fun both at the same time. Even up to this very moment, I still love acquiring knowledge (hence I enrolled back to school) and still have some fun (I still drink and hang out with my friends) at the same time. I clearly remember moments with my friends everytime we drink. When people will get tipsy a little an argument is always brought up. Arguments about the things we have been acquiring from school; it may be about science, arts, etc. What's interesting is, everyone contributes about the topic that we are arguing about. As we savor more and more liquor, the more we talk and talk about the topic as deeper as we can get. We even find it good to study together while drinking but before doing that we should have finished reading about it before coming to the session for the arguments.

 I love the author Apuleius (a North-African) for what he wrote about knowledge and drinking: "There is a famed saying of a wise man about the pleasures of the table: 'The first wine-bowl quenches thirst, the second begets jollity, the third stirs up desire, the fourth sends mad.' But the bowls of the Muses have an opposite effect. The more you drink and the stronger the drought, the better is it for the good of your soul. The first bowl, given you by the elementary teacher, rescues you from ignorance; the second, proffered by the teacher of literature, sets you up with learning; third, brought by the rhetorician, arms you with eloquence." He himself was hungry for more and more knowlege. Yes, we got wasted everytime we drink but the knowledge we learned will never be taken from us. What we are doing is just another way of having fun while learning. It eases us to speak of the things inside our minds and loosens up everything.

As Apuleius further said, "These three draughts are enough for most men (bowl of Muses). But I have drunk other cups at Athens: the Imaginative draught of poetry, the clear one of geometry, the sweet one of music, the austere one of dialectic, and the nectar of universal philosophy, of which one can never have enough." This brought me back to what Paul posted, we can never have enough about knowledge and our brains will never get filled with things; but it is through knowledge that we will understand and will make us care and love.

Not all of us in this world is given a chance and have the priviledge to acquire knowledge we learn from school. For those who have, we should share and pass it on. The contentment of being a good student is to be a good teacher someday. We learn and understand and therefore we can teach things to anyone.

What could be fun in studying new things and in going to school? A friend of mine once posted in his shout out that age is inevitable and that as we go old we gain knowledge. Therefore, we learn so many things here on earth as we grow old. Looking age at a good perspective for it is in knowledge we find contentment and happiness (love you Paul for this, my friend).

But some would say, "Enough about going to school". Many would surely like to have fun only and leave knowledge aside. Well, when I was still an undergraduate student I gained wisdom and had fun both at the same time. Even up to this very moment, I still love acquiring knowledge (hence I enrolled back to school) and still have some fun (I still drink and hang out with my friends) at the same time. I clearly remember moments with my friends everytime we drink. When people will get tipsy a little an argument is always brought up. Arguments about the things we have been acquiring from school; it may be about science, arts, etc. What's interesting is, everyone contributes about the topic that we are arguing about. As we savor more and more liquor, the more we talk and talk about the topic as deeper as we can get. We even find it good to study together while drinking but before doing that we should have finished reading about it before coming to the session for the arguments.

 I love the author Apuleius (a North-African) for what he wrote about knowledge and drinking: "There is a famed saying of a wise man about the pleasures of the table: 'The first wine-bowl quenches thirst, the second begets jollity, the third stirs up desire, the fourth sends mad.' But the bowls of the Muses have an opposite effect. The more you drink and the stronger the drought, the better is it for the good of your soul. The first bowl, given you by the elementary teacher, rescues you from ignorance; the second, proffered by the teacher of literature, sets you up with learning; third, brought by the rhetorician, arms you with eloquence." He himself was hungry for more and more knowlege. Yes, we got wasted everytime we drink but the knowledge we learned will never be taken from us. What we are doing is just another way of having fun while learning. It eases us to speak of the things inside our minds and loosens up everything.

As Apuleius further said, "These three draughts are enough for most men (bowl of Muses). But I have drunk other cups at Athens: the Imaginative draught of poetry, the clear one of geometry, the sweet one of music, the austere one of dialectic, and the nectar of universal philosophy, of which one can never have enough." This brought me back to what Paul posted, we can never have enough about knowledge and our brains will never get filled with things; but it is through knowledge that we will understand and will make us care and love.

Not all of us in this world is given a chance and have the priviledge to acquire knowledge we learn from school. For those who have, we should share and pass it on. The contentment of being a good student is to be a good teacher someday. We learn and understand and therefore we can teach things to anyone.

Of What the insect sounding band Name told Me...

They say that songs can mend broken hearts and souls. The Beatles tried mine. And I think they got me. I think they actually understood me so much that they got me singing along.

What You Doing

"...Would it be too much to ask you
What you're doing to me?

You got me running and there's no fun in it
Why should it be so much to ask of you
What you're doing to me?"

While My Guitar Gently Weeps

"I don't know why nobody told you
How to unfold your love
I don't know how someone controlled you
They bought and sold you"

With a Little Help with My Friends

"What do I do when my love is away?
(Does it worry you to be alone?)
How do I feel by the end of the day?
(Are you sad because you're on your own?)"

Hey Jude

"So let it out and let it in, hey Jude, begin
You're waiting for someone to perform with
And don't you know that it's just you, hey Jude, you'll do
The movement you need is on your shoulder"

I Don't Want to Spoil the Party

"I've had a drink or two and I don't care
There's no fun in what I do if she's not there
I wonder what went wrong I've waited far too long
I think I'll take a walk and look for her

Though tonight she's made me sad
I still love her
If I find her I'll be glad
I still love her"

Buwan ng Agham at Matematika

Ang buwan ng Setyembre ay nakalaan sa pagdidiwang ng Buwan ng Agham at Matematika. Ako at ang aking mga studyante sa kolehiyo ng sining at edukasyon ay naglaan ng iba't ibang gawain para sa nalalapit na pagdiriwang.

Sa pagnanais na maisama sa pagdiriwang ang kaalamang lokal, napag-isipan namin na gamitin ang ilang kagamitang at larong Pilipino sa iilang paligsahan.

Ang tema ng nalalapit na pagdiriwang ay "Pag-unawa sa Ekolohiyang Limbag natin Tungo sa mas Berdeng Ekonomiya". 

Sa lahat ng mga paligsahan, ang kinaabangan ng lahat ay ang Karera gamit ang Agham at Matematika. Sa larong ito gumamit kami ng mga kagamitang  Pilipino tulad ng bolang yari sa dahon ng niyog, bunot, at sago.

Ilan sa mga laro na aming sinama at inahalintulad ay ang tumbang preso at karerang kudkuran. Ang mga larong ito ay may mga mekanikang gumagamit ng Agham at Matematika. 

Ang ibang paligsahan tulad ng paggawa ng katawang palamuti ay may mekanikang dapat gumamit lamang ng mga katutubo at bagay na maari pang eresiklo. Higit sa lahat ay aking pinakaabangan ay ang paligsahang tinawag namin na "Banda Basura". Ito ay aking hinango sa nakita ko sa lakbay-aral natin sa Semarang, Indonesia. Sila ay gagawa ng tugtugin gamit lamang ang mga kagamitang binabasura na subalit maari pang pakinabangan. Kami ay maghahanda ng mga kakaning Pilipino para sa meryenda ng aming mga hurado.

Sa aming munting paraan kami ay masayang isama ang ilan sa ating lokal na kaalaman. :)

Enchanted

There arise at the horizon
The sun of today
When it sets at the west
The night stalks  for new magic
At top of the lush
Is lighted with delight
For the night is casted
With spell, and soon will be enchanted
Fairies fly...
Dancing... Singing...
The lullaby of the night
Sings for the fiest and celebration on sight.

note: From Multiply Apr. 17, 08

Your Sacrifice…

The thin air ignites a light

Magic dust seasons the night

There was once foretold

By the mistress of gold

In the golden gate, there awaits

The keeper of the white winter

Calling in a whisper.

Inviting you for a secret to uncover

To summon the creature of the tale

Who’s locked in a golden cell.

How can you resist?

Such magic and secret

Treasures untold

Surrounds the creature you are to meet

The mistress once told

Silver light of the night

Will come in sparks of bright.

Start to chant the rhymes at your might

So the keeper will hear you right.

Summon the creature with your lullaby

And hold the mistress’ buried possession

There in prison…

You’ll hear a cry

Of the awakened prisoner

Hold his hands, and set him free

Keep the gold and you will see,

The next prisoner will be me.

Note: from multiply May 21, '08

Si Manong Pawikan: Green Sea Turtle

Si Manong Pawikan, larawan ng karunungan, kalayaan at kapayapaan subalit ang tao ay sadyang marahas sa mga katulad niyang nilalang ng dagat. Ito ba ang kinagawi-an niyang paligid? Ayon sa kantang hango kay Manong Pawikan na gawa ni Joel Ayala: "Tahanan niyo ay pasan-pasan, wala ba kayong mapaglalagyan sa lupang kinagisnan?"Ang pasanin ang kanyang tahanan kung saan man siya mapadpad sa dagat ay sapat na na pabigat sa kanila. Huwag sana pa nating dagdagan.

Note:

I took the video of this Green Sea turtle just this morning at the Environmental Institute and Marine Sciences Laboratory, Silliman University after the 350 run for the Mangrove Forest. The Green Sea Turtle(Chelonia mydas) is the common English name. It is name such because its fats is colored green. It is recognized as an endangered species By International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and is listed in The Philippine Red Data Book as one of the endangered species that we have here in the Philippines. This turtle has many local names but is generally called "Pawikan" in many dialects. Some names are: Talisayon/Magdarahit/Magdarait = Bicol; Bildog = Isabela, Daranawan/Wara-cara = Samar; Kutuan = Kuyo, Palawan; Pudno = Tausog and Samal; Puyukan = Mapon; Tortuga = Zamboanga and Basilan; Katuan = Zamboanga del Sur. They are solitary and migratory. The distribution of this turtle is around the Philippines. They are carnivorous when young but are exclusively vegetarian when adult. This turtle is dimorphic: when adult the male has longer tail (extending far beyond the exterior of its carapace) than the female. The sexual distinction of this species by external examination is only possible when it is adult. Courtship and mating of turtles happen near nesting sites (beaches). Their copulation usually lasts between 2 to 193 hours and is attended by several males.

Their population is threatened because of its economic importance (its meat, egg, and carapace are sold for food and crafts), wildlife trade, illegal fishing, uncontrolled predation, tourism and coastal development, ingestion of marine debris and plastic wastes.

How can we help?

1. Do not kill or injure our marine turtles.

2. Don't practice illegal fishing.

3. Do not gather their eggs and do not buy them for pets, decoration (carapace) and for food (to discourage wildlife trade and hunting).

4. Report people engaged in these illegal activities to the PCP-PAWB or to the DENR regional offices and other concerned agencies.

5. Do not litter or throw garbage in their habitat

6. If you see a turtle with metal tags/tags on the trailing edge of its front flippers, write down the serial number and species. Include also the date and place the turtle was spotted. NEVER REMOVE THE TAG! Then send the information to Pawikan Conservation Project, Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau, NAPWNC, Quezon Avenue, Q.C., 1100 or in their site for more information (http://www.pawb.gov.ph/).

Let them be free in the ocean...