Why Wishlists are Just Wrong

As a kid, I have always been amazed by how much gifts my teachers received every Christmas. I, for one, have made sure back then that my mom bought a gift for my homeroom teacher and all my subject teachers every Christmas. Poor mom. But what can she do? I was a kid under the spell of my teachers’ whatever charm and authority.

Now that I am a teacher, I guess this charm, authority and maybe the innocent wanting to be on the better of side of a teacher is still at work. Good for me, I guess. I wouldn’t have it any other way as I have and will always be a fan of the entire system of gift giving–shopping, wrapping, giving, and opening of gifts. I simply find joy in simple act of receiving or giving a gift no matter how modest the gift itself is. Add to that the simple element of surprise of (supposedly) not knowing what’s inside the packaging.

Which brings me to this this next statement: Christmas wish lists are nonsense.

Wish lists work on the premise that to avoid frustrations in receiving gifts, one writes what he wants and the giver will simply choose among them.

Though the premise is logical, it becomes impractical and unecessary. Why not give that someone the money to buy what he wants and forget about all the wrappings and surprises since the receiver knows what he will be receiving anyway (or at least things he might receive)?

Gift giving is all about sharing, thoughtfulness, mystery and surprise. It is not about getting what we want. We can hope for what we want but it all lies in the hands of the giver. Part of the giver’s responsibility then is thinking creatively WHAT SOMEONE NEEDS BUT WILL NOT BUY FOR HIM/HERSELF (Penny, Big Bang Theory). Naturally however, there will be times when we won’t like what we receive and times when we will immensely like what we receive–this is what makes gift giving exciting and fun.

Then again, this is just me and my old-school thinking. I, myself, couldn’t and wouldn’t complain as being a teacher gives me a lot of chances on the won’t-like-will-like dichotomy of gift giving. Check out my car’s trunk on my students’ Christmas party.

See why I can’t complain? 😀 Happy holidays!

A Post-Dated Teachers’ Day

Last October 5, the world celebrated the people behind the noble profession of teaching. And as I am part of this particular category of people we call teachers, My second grade students surprised me with messages they wrote on the white board 🙂

It felt nice to read all of their messages (with grammatical errors every now and then of course 😀 ) for me.

Done with the First Level

I have been training with and applying to become a member of the UP Mountaineers. Known for its discipline and hard-core training, the organization demands focus, determination and dedication from its applicants as well as its members.

It has been such a treat then that I have officially passed the first level of three yesterday. Consisting of a 6.6 Km run in 45 minutes, a pre-climb, level 1 climb and a post climb, I am still in the running to becoming a UPM member.

For my run, I finished 15th out of 32 runners in my group, clocking in at 43:44. I cannot get all the credit though as I was only pushed and motivated by Ms. Elaine–a member of the UPM who I met at the third loop of the run. Although I have been training, it still bordered in mediocrity. I therefore still have lots to work on.

Passing the 6.6 Km run allowed me to climb the first level last Saturday and Sunday at Mt. Balay Kalo in Lipa, Batangas. Main problem for me was the weight of the 50-liter bag I brought to contain 6 Liters of water among other essentials such as sleeping bags and clothes. I admittedly is still a weak mountaineer. I learned a lot from the climb though and has been inspired more than ever to train even more.

I enjoyed the entire trip, even na cuts and briuses, the slides and crawls, the muddy and slippery terrain thanks to my groupmates (Mia, JB, Drew, Kid, Ambo), group leader Mo and assistant group leader Les. Learned about knot-tying, tents and ropesmanship that I have yet to master.

One thing I have to particularly learn though is how to accept clashes of different ideas and perspectives of co-mountaineers without getting so much affected. Homophobia, self-sufficiency VS group cooperation among other things bothered me in a not-so-slight-way. I guess this is one of the things one has to learn as he grows up.

By the end of the day, every bit of Mt. Balay Kalo was appreciated and will be treasured. So much more to learn and experiences to live.

For now I have to prepare for the 10 K run that I need to finish in less than an hour and 15 minutes. Can’t wait 🙂

Ang Natutunan Ko mula sa Fashion Show

Inanyayahan ako ng aking kaibigan na si June Samson Pugat upang manood ng Philippine Fashion Week: Grand Allure Collection sa SMX Convention Center noong Linggo. Kasama ng aking pinsan at kaibigan, natunghayan namin ang mga damit na dinisenyo ni June kasama ang mga damit na gawa ng iba pang mga fashion designers.

Syempre bilang isang fashion event iyon, bihis na bihis ang mga tao. Nakatatawa (hindi nakatutuwa)  lang kasi sobrang gamit na gamit ang mga fedora, vests, at mga man bags at purses na mas gusto kong tawaging gay bags at purses sa dahilang hindi na kailangang ipaliwanag.

At dahil bahagi ang palabas na ito ng fashion world kung saan ang hitsura, pananamit at katawan ang mahalaga maaring sabihing hindi gumagana ang konsepto ng beauty within sa larangang ito. Hindi naman nakikita kung mabait, masipag, mapagpatawad o kung ano ka pa. Ang mahalaga maayos at maganda ka tingnan. Ngunit hindi rin naman nangagahulugang basta basta ka na lamang manghuhusg. Aaminin ko dala ng inggit parang gusto kong pumuna ng pumuna ng mga tao sa fashion show na iyon. Pero sa totoo lang wala tayong karapatang humusga lalu na kung ang nakikita lang natin ay ang panlabas na kaanyuan. Siguradong ang lahat ay may kaniya-kaniyang iniisip sa buhay at siguro’y pinagdaraanang mga pagsubok.

Minsan, dahil insecure o naiinggit tayo, pumupuna tayo ng mga mali ng iba. Parang sa Fashion world, mayayaman ang karamihan, magaganda ang mukha’t katawan pero kung di tayo dapat pumuna ng mga pangit at mahihirap ganun rin tayo dapat sa mayaman at maganda.

Maliban sa napakgandang palabas sa fashion week na ito, at maliban sa ito ay kauna-unahang fashion show na aking pinuntahan, ito rin ang nagturo sa akin mas maging kuntento sa sarili ko at huwag mang husga 🙂

World Turtle Day

Mula noong taong 2000, ipinagdiriwang  tuwing Mayo 23 ang World Turtle Day upang mas lumaganap ang kaalaman tungkol sa mga pagong at pawikan. Kaya naman humingi ng storyteller o kwentista ang Manila Ocean Park mula sa Alitaptap Storytellers Philippines at ako ang napili nilang ipadala upang magkwento.

Napansin lang ng kapwa ko kwentista na sa Philippine children’s literature kadalasa’y negatibo ang karakter ng mga pagong sa mga sikat na kwento. Nariyan ang Why Do Turtles Carry Their Homes kung saan ganid o greedy ang pagong. Nariyan rin ang Alamat ng Pagong kung saan naging pagong ang mga magnanakaw bilang parusa. Isama pa diyan ang Ang Bugnuting Pagong kung saan mayabang at masungit ang pagong.

Buti na lamang nariyan ang Si Pagong at si Matsing, kung saan matiyaga at matalino si pagong, at Si Pilandok sa Pulo ng mga Pawikan kung saan iniligtas ni Pilandok ang mga itlog ng mga pawikan. Ang huling binanggit ang siyang umangkop sa pagdiriwang kaya naman iyon rin ang aking ikwinento.

Maayos naman ang naging pagkwento bagamat medyo pagod na ata ang mga batang aking kwinentuhan sa paglakad sa Ocean Park. Natapos ang kwentuhan sa pamamagitan ng pagsusulat sa mga itlog na papel ng mga mensahe para sa mga pawikan.

Para sa storytelling na ito, binigyan ako ng dalawang complimentary tickets sa Manila Ocean Park. Pinaalala rin sa aking ang kaibahan ng pagong sa pawikan. Naipapasok ng mga pagong ang kanilang ulo at mga galamay papasok sa kanilang shell samantalang hindi ito kayang gawin ng pawikan. Mas mabilis namang lumangoy ang mga pawikan kaysa sa mga pagon.

Pagkatapos ng masayang araw ni ito, isa na lang ang hindi ko pa rin alam. Ano nga ba ang tunog na ginagawa ng mga pagong?