Grade One-ism

About a boy who cries just about anything in the world...

Me:  What do you feel when you're crying? (I wanted to elicit the answer, "I don't feel good.".)


Boy:  Sad... Like when it's painful in the inside...

Me:  (a bit disturbed)  Oh...what do you mean by that?

Boy:  Like there are cracks in my heart...

Me:  (trying to control one boisterous laugh) Oh...

Ang mga Goals Ko

Noon:  Makagawa ng magandang thesis para maging okay, kung sakali, for publication

Ngayon:  (Ok na kahit hindi) Basta makagawa lang ng thesis

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Noon:  Makagawa ng magandang thesis para maganda tignan sa resume

Ngayon:  (Ok naman na resume ko a) Basta makagawa lang ng thesis

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Noon:  Makagawa ng magandang thesis para ayos kung mag-a-apply ng scholarship sa abroad

Ngayon:  (Kalimutan mo na yung scholarship na 'yan) Basta makagawa lang ng thesis

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Noon:  Makagawa ng magandang thesis para pwedeng makapag-shift ng career

Ngayon:  (Ok na 'ko dito) Basta makagawa lang ng thesis

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Noon:  Makagawa ng magandang thesis para hindi naman nakakahiya sa Ateneo at UP

Ngayon: (Eh ano naman) Basta makagawa lang ng thesis

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Maganda talaga mag-set ng mataas na standards sa simula e, para kung tamad-tamarin ka na at gusto mo na kalimutan ang mataas na standards na 'yun, at least babagsak ka pa rin na may "standards".  Mababa nga lang.  Hehe.

Optimism, nasaan ka?!  Nakakamiss ka! :p

Stamping Itch

For the long weekend, I scratched my stamping itch by making gifts for our teacher friends for the upcoming Appreciation Day in school (not 'til mid of September, but I just wanna get it over with).

Here's a lot of twenty one memo blocks.  Since we have a tight budget, we just bought some rather ordinary memo blocks, and to make them a bit special, I just decided to personalize them.

What poverty can do - it brings out one's resourcefulness!

I first thought of using different fonts and colors, but I got lazy last night and sincerely thought that it already works as it is.  Pwede na, di ba? :D

 If you can see the round thing stamped at the back of the one on the bottom right, it's how the back of the memo blocks look - it says "created with love" (much, much love, to replace less, less money value!):

Blame the lame (but trusty!) camera phone

I guess I'll just tie a paper twine or a ribbon around it to make it look more like an "effortful" and thoughtful present. ;)

And for Appreciation Day aka Teachers' Day, here's what I will give myself (that's right, appreciate thyself!  haha!)...

Ta-dah!

This expensive piece of plastic started ruining my life last night, when I was online supposedly to look for lit for my thesis, when I stumbled on this.  It's so awesome it hurts.  I would kill to get one NOW, as in really!  THIS is really a wannabe-crafter's dream!  Why don't we have such stuff here in the Philippines?  The shipping price and the waiting time pain me, and they pain me hard... :(

BE MINE BE MINE BE MINE!!!

Thesis Mode: ON!

The past few weeks had been light and easy for me.  There's not much to do, or the things to do are not that hard, I can go home early, I can afford to watch movies before sleeping, and I can actually lie in bed on a weekend wondering what I can do for the day. 

I realized that I've never been this free since 2008, and so it felt sort of wrong to be relaxing and feeling all free!  And to think that I'm supposed to be doing my thesis this semester, something's telling me this isn't really right.

Well, I'm glad to tell you that after meeting up with my thesis adviser last Wednesday, my old, busy routine is back again.  Wait, scratch that!  I'm not glad, I'm nervous.  Hmm, well, I'm nervous but at least it feels right.  Haha! 

Anyway, to help me with my anticipated tough days, here's the "motivational poster" I printed. 

From where I sit, I just need to look up and be reminded that everything would just be a breeze.  :)

Alarm Clock

Every Season (by Nichole Nordeman) is my official feel-good song.  Yes, I've decided on it!  And in my desire to be grateful every day, and to be reminded of it, I'm going to use this song as my wake-up alarm.  

But, know that I'm taking a big risk here, people.  You see, whatever song I use to wake myself up, I'd eventually hate (Who wouldn't?!).  But this song has so much promise that I'm certain it will never reach its maximum threshold.  Here's to not hating this song ever!  

 

Watch, listen, and find some comfort. :)

Isn't music amazing? :)

Kids Draw (and Write) All Kinds of Stuff!

               My readers said - believe it or not, I have three- that they miss reading my posts about my boys.  I do, too.  I remember, before, whenever there's a funny story about my students, even those which are remotely interesting, it goes straight to my blog (or to people's ears).  But now, most of their stories seem like nothing but reincarnation of old tales.  Not exactly better or worse, but just pretty much the same.  Not much going on around here is new.  And that's kind of sad, don't you think?  

                While I was cleaning up my hard drive last weekend, I came across some pictures I took during my first three years of teaching.  And they still got it - they made me smile!  I'm sharing them with you in the hope they'll also bring a sprinkle of sunshine on your Tuesday. :)

For the following, the boys were supposed to draw, 

and write something about it, after being told that they 

can be authors when they grow up, and that 

they can write about their favorite animals then.

  (Oh, the crap teachers tell kids... =p)

Cutie li'l rabbit!  I'll show this to the boy one day when he's all grown up, and it will remind him of his inner cuteness!

After seeing the next picture, my doubt about birds being related to dinosaurs has totally disappeared.  This has been my cellphone wallpaper for months!  (By the way, the one who drew this dinosaur is now in 4th grade and is a class president!  They make me proud!)

"I like dinosaurs beacause (they) are fierce."

The next ones are from our activity on Demonstrative Pronouns 

(LOL, I can't get any more teacher than this!)
I love the details of the boys' drawings.
And how they know demonstrative pronouns!:)

Captain Arrow ;)

Nice shirt!

I say "cabinets" is a sophisticated word for a Gr. 1 boy.

Scary... The making of...!

See how the stick figure touches the fingertips of the soldier?!  It's because it's "these"!  How's that for accuracy, huh?!

Hehehe... magician lang!  And, "can of soda" is far advanced, too!

You see how the speaker is close to the tables? :)

Macho man and macho pencils :D

Friendly boy in drawings AND in real life :)

Here's a Filipino activity on pangngalan.  

The boys were to give an example for a person, place, animal, or thing.   

Ain't I pretty?!

How's that for a SOONdalo on duty?!

DT (di-tiyak/common noun) - ahas
T (tiyak/proper noun) - Sean
ANG SAMA!!!

And for the finale, brace yourselves, people!
Don't say that you have not been warned.
This.will.blow.you.away.

Oh, gosh!  I can only pray that this was done out of innocence!

                    Hahaha!  Oh my gosh, this work has provided me with a lot of laugh!  I can't help but love it.  :)   

                    

                    Hmm, in the midst of this happy recollection, I realized, maybe everything that is happening now is not exactly old.  Perhaps, it's all just because I've stopped looking for something new.  Dear life, what routine and familiarity have done to me.  There's what I hate!

These Excite Me!

Guess what came in the mail this week!

The clear stamps I ordered from the States!! 

I was so happy 'cause I didn't expect to receive them this soon.  The customer service of the online store advised me that it may take a week to a month for the package to get here.  And since the shipping was only 3 dollars, meaning it's not a priority mail or sent via expedited shipping, I was really conditioned to get these by the end of July.  So, imagine my disbelief and excitement when I found them in my room!  Gosh, getting mails, or packages, is so exciting!  Whenever I click "buy" online, expect that I won't get a sleep without a thought about what I ordered until THE day arrives.  How I wish snail mails are still as popular as before... They're just the sweetest. :)

Getting my stamps of course sent me to stamping mood.  Since I have some time on my hands, and a couple of friends celebrating their birthdays this July, I decided to make them cards.

   I hope I could make cards as beautiful (and as lavish!) as the ones I see on online galleries.  Hmm... Well, for now I guess this would do.  Besides, the recipients know that I'm not exactly a creative person, hehe. 

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Schedule has been tight lately.  And that's even without me working on my thesis.  Anyway, I wish I could always find time to stamp! :)